Denique Iubar
by Gregory the Abdicator
Summary: The devastation of Cephiro's slow death brings our heroes to their greatest and weakest moment as they search desperately for the denique iubar: the last light.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Magic Knights.

This story was inspired by my frank and apparent dislike of the actual ending of MKR. No one actually got with anyone else (except Caldina) and even if they had, I wasn't too thrilled with the pairings. So I wrote my own ending.

There's a lot of scenes that technically should have happened before the time in which this story is set (which is near the end of the series, although not in any specific timeframe). There are a couple of discrepancies: they are only there to serve my plot. Anything that doesn't make sense, just ask me. I'm pretty good at having answers...or coming up with something that sounds good, anyway. : )

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The war over Cephiro is drawing steadily closer to an end. Both the forces of desperate Cephiro and dark Debonair are clashed in a seemingly hopeless battle. As the power of Cephiro wanes under the overwhelming strength of Debonair, all those who love their land are looking desperately for the light at the end of the tunnel.

For Denique Iubar.

For the Last Light.

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She looked up, her red hair flying in front of her face, obscuring her vision. All around her, black.

_Teeheehee!_

She stood quickly then, staring around herself wildly, searching out the source of the voice in the darkness surrounding her.

_I see you, Hikaru!_

Hikaru stopped her frantic movements.

"Nova!" she shouted, "Come out! Let me talk to you!"

_Uh-uh-uh!_ the voice admonished, _not yet! Debonair Mama says not yet!_

Hikaru whipped around to where she heard the sound coming from.

"Nova, listen! You have to stop! Stop killing my most important friends!"

The voice laughed.

_Hikaru! You're so cute! I will kill all your friends so Hikaru will only play with me. I'll kill them all for you, cute Hikaru!_

"No! That's not what I want! Nova, please!"

Still she did not appear. Hikaru waited, pleading, her voice on the edge of tears.

"Nova, I love my friends. I don't want them to die!"

But only girlish laughter answered her. Hikaru's hands clenched, her heart beating too fast in anger and fear, somehow knowing that though she dreamed, it was real. She knew if she could just get through, she would make Nova understand, and stop fighting. She knew she could. She _had_ to. She lowered her tone to something resembling calm.

"Listen, Nova. I need you to talk to me. I need you to let my friends go!"

The voice giggled again.

_Okay. Debonair Mama says we can talk now. Let's play, Hikaru!_

And then a flash of light overwhelmed the red-haired girl, and she blinked back against it, and then she awoke, gasping, in her own bed.

For a moment, she sat there, panting, pulling herself together. Then she leaned back against the headboard of the bed tiredly, sorting out the various images from her last dream. Why would Nova not understand?

Hikaru felt a breeze behind her. She turned. Pink hair, flowing to her feet, surrounded young black eyes, now narrowed in something like happiness.

"Let's play, Hikaru!"

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	2. Faded

I don't know if anyone will notice, but I've actually uploaded this story before. I had ridiculous, spasmodic difficulties with formatting, so I'm redoing it, hopefully in a better format ; )

In any case...

Story!

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"We can't just let them go out like that!"

Presea's argument bounced off the walls of the large council chamber, echoing faintly in the slight silence following her words.

Master Mage Clef, all three-feet two-inches of him covered in ceremonial robes, dropped his head in his staff-free hand and sighed.

"What would you have us do, Presea? We can't just not let them fight!"

Presea shook her head angrily, much as she had for the last four hours.

"Maybe not, but we can't just send them out there by themselves. We have to protect them!"

Caldina, lightly dressed even in the cold chamber, chimed in.

"C'mon, Clef, Presea's gotta point. If we leave 'em out there by themselves, they'll get hurt, and I'm not gonna take the blame."

Clef rubbed his head, frustrated. Lafarga stepped forward to put a consoling hand on Caldina's shoulder. The pink-haired illusionist stepped back, deflating slightly. But Presea was still upset.

"Look at what just happened! Umi went out, unattended, to fight Chizeta. She was captured! She might have been killed! And what do we do? We send her back out to fight them again!" She slammed a fist down onto the table Clef had conjured earlier for their war council. It hadn't stayed a "war" council for more than half an hour, becoming instead an arguing ground for the beloved but useful Magic Knights, and what their role should be in this war. Ferio had stormed out earlier, saying he needed to think.

Clef laid his staff down on the table, reaching over to touch Presea's clenched fist.

"Sierra, I know this must be hard on you. Seeing the girls your sister gave her life for go out into danger. It is difficult for me, too."

Presea looked up at the mention of her true name. She had been playing Presea for so long she had nearly forgotten what her real identity was. Clef's gentle reminder did nothing to soothe her temper.

"It's not just Presea's sacrifice! It's my own, as well. I know now why she loved them as she did. They're wonderful, kind girls who care too much for this country and not enough about themselves. I love them just as much! It's terrible to watch them go out and get hurt! You can't let them, Clef, you can't!" Her voice raised as she spoke, ending in a half-shriek as she let go of her emotions. Clef had been trying to pacify them all until now, but this last was just too much.

"Curse you, Presea, do you think you're the only one who cares?" Clef slammed a hand into the table, causing a faint dent to appear in it's surface. Swiftly, the magic swirled and moved to recreate the table, but Clef was not paying attention.

"I care for them too! Do you think you're the only one that is hurt every time they remember what happened to our last Pillar? It _kills_ me to watch as the tears form in her eyes from the very _memory_! Everytime she goes out, I have to stop myself from running forward and dragging her back, forcing her to stay here where she'll be safe! But I can't! I have to let he-…them go! Why? Because they are the ones that will save Cephiro! Without them, we cannot win! I _have_ to let them go!" He slammed a hand into the table again, breathing hard. He stared at the new dent, the anger slowly draining out of him.

Everyone stared at the Master Mage. Presea's face was pale, startled, almost fearful. Lafarga's eyes narrowed, as though something had bothered him very much. Caldina started, but then peered closely at the mage, her anger forgotten.

"Clef…" She started. Clef looked up with an apologetic expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, friends. I spoke in anger. However, I do not believe that-"

"Clef, are you-…" Caldina interrupted him, leaning forward intently. Clef stopped speaking, staring at Caldina with an expression of curiosity mixed with a touch of something else. Caldina stood, walked over to where Clef was sitting. She put a hand on either of his shoulders, and knelt, looking deeply into his eyes for something the others could not quite understand.

Suddenly she backed up, her hands jerking up to cover her mouth. A faint "oh" of surprise echoed slightly in the cavernous chamber.

"Clef…you are…"

"Caldina," he said, a note of warning in his voice. But Caldina didn't listen, too caught up in her discovery to pay attention.

"Clef," she crowed, "you're in love with-"

The door banged open harshly, a gust of wind sweeping through the chamber. They all looked towards it, waiting for whomever it was. Slowly, through the darkness of the outer chamber, a figure emerged. Tall, black-cloaked, and bulky enough for two people. It took a moment for the council to realize who it was.

"Lantis?" Caldina stopped her wild victory dance to look at the black haired warrior who had just entered. He looked very strange, with lumps poking out around his shadow-cloaked form. But something was different about him. His face was just a little to emotionless, a little too apathetic. And he was walking extremely fast. If it had been anyone less dignified than Lantis, one could have said he was running.

"Lantis! What is it?" Clef asked.

Then Lantis came fully into the light of the chamber, and the burden he held in his arms became clear.

"I'm sorry," he said, his words clipped and precise, "but it seems that every time I come in here I'm saving someone."

"Lantis! Who is it? Is she alright?" Presea questioned in a worried tone, but her face had cleared of its anger and fear, and she seemed much more relaxed.

"Where'd you find the little missy, Lantis-baby? Prob'ly not out in _that_ wind, huh?"

Lantis shook his head, the lines around his mouth tightening.

"No," he said, tightly. "Not out there."

Lafarga sensed the strangeness of his tones, and glanced sharply at him, calculating.

"Not out there? Then, someone was hurt inside the palace?" Clef asked, startled.

Lantis said nothing, his face paling a little more. He clutched harder at the figure in his arms, as if afraid to let her go.

"C'mon, Lantis, don't be a stump. Where'd you get the little missie?"

Lantis stared hard at the pink-haired lady, almost as if he was looking through her.

"I found her… in her room, near the rooms of the other Magic Knights." He seemed to spit the words out, but then he set down the girl in his arms, and he was forgotten.

Long, unbound red hair flowed down her shoulder, tangled and frayed from her hurts. Her face, usually pixie-like and happy, was covered in bruises, blood flecking her cheeks and seeping from a deep gash in her forehead. Her once white nightgown was now stained a rust color from the multiple slashes through it. Cuts ran along her arms and legs, blood only starting to halt it's too-swift flow. One of her arms hung limply, as if broken. Her eyes were shut, but tiny lacerations ran along her eyelids.

"Hikaru…" Clef whispered faintly, a broken sound in his voice.

"Oh!" Presea made a small sound in the back of her throat, dropping to her knees beside Hikaru's still body. Caldina gasped in shock, stepping back and running into Lafarga, who immediately put his arms around her, staring in disbelief at the still form of his favorite Magic Knight.

"What…what happened?" Clef forced the words past a suddenly closed throat.

Lantis shook his head, his movements still to precise.

"I don't know. I was going to her room to check on her, since we haven't gotten to find out what happened in the Crown room. I found her…like this." His words were strained, harsh.

"Oh, my Hikaru, my little girl…" Presea was holding Hikaru's still form in her arms, tears running down her cheeks. She looked up despairingly at Lantis, her eyes pleading.

"She's not…she's not…"

"She's alive." He said, for the first time showing a touch of relief on his otherwise implacable face. Clef sighed, relieved, and Presea collapsed on Hikaru's faintly moving chest, sobbing. Caldina burst into tears as well, burying her face in Lafarga's chest. But his face, though softening momentarily at this news, hardened again as he looked at Lantis. Lantis stared back, and something in his eyes caused Lafarga's accusing gaze to drop. Lantis looked at Clef.

"Master Clef. Can you heal her?"

Clef nodded tightly, looking far too pale. Lantis nodded.

"Good. I have to talk to someone. And if it's his fault…" This last was muttered softly, and Clef couldn't catch all the words. The Master Mage was sure that no one else had heard. Lantis turned, his long cape swirling around him, and strode quickly out of the room. For a moment, Clef felt the tight shield surrounding the only Magic Swordsman drop, slightly. And the waves of pain and anger emanating of off him made the Mage stumble as he dropped to his knees beside Hikaru. But then the unconscious Magic Knight diverted all his attention, and Clef forgot about everything else.

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In case anyone's interested, Hikaru is my favorite Knight...I love her hair: )


	3. Growing Darkness

Oh ho ho, my dear reader! I have realised my greatest disappointment in Clef! Yes! Oh, yes! It is the fact that he is...

Roughly 3 feet tall.

I mean, how hot can a guy that you'd have to have surgery just to kiss actually _be_?

But then, the movie fixed all of that...ah, the hotness of a tall Clef...hmmm...

Anyways. Do enjoy!

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Lantis strode down the hallway, fury burning through his mind. Someone had hurt Hikaru. _His _Hikaru. They would pay. And pay dearly.

Mentally, Lantis would have cringed had he ever thought of Hikaru as his. But this time, he forgot it. It was appropriate. His Hikaru. It sounded right. And Lantis had better things on his mind than what he called the Magic Knight of Fire.

Like who had hurt her.

He had a suspicion or three; namely, anyone who had been within three feet of Hikaru that day and several hundreds who hadn't. But his prime suspect was the person she had spent the most time around. The person who was right now confined within the depths of the castle, the person Lantis had thought he could trust.

Eagle.

Eagle of Autozam, his old friend and near-brother. Eagle, who was always ready with that faint smile, even when nothing was right in his world. Eagle, who was right now commanding a ship to take over Cephiro.

Thought of his best friend caused Lantis' rage to cool slightly. Eagle never could have done that. It wasn't in his nature. But then a picture flashed in his mind of Hikaru's battered body lying limply on her bed, her own blood seeping into the soft mattress. And suddenly his anger was rekindled, and he stormed down the steps, bound for Eagle's cell.

-

-

Eagle sighed as he leaned back onto the rough bed. _One thing's for sure, _he thought wryly; _they don't spoil their prisoners in Cephiro._

The thought caused a little grin to appear on his face. Though this was unusual for him in a normal day, at least since Lantis left, these last few hours had seen him doing so more and more often. Of course, any fool could have known the reason just looking at him. To Eagle, it was obvious.

Hikaru.

Eagle smiled as he thought about their last encounter. Hikaru had come into his cell, head bowed, fists clenched. Eagle had been resting at the time, but one look at Hikaru's posture and he was on his feet, gently leading her over to the bed. She had moved without protest, completely compliant.

"Hikaru," he had asked gently, "what's wrong?"

Hikaru had looked at him then, and even now the terrible pain on her face caused his heart to clench. That look of despair was never meant for such a lively face. But Hikaru had only looked at him for a time, not speaking.

"Hikaru, please, tell me what is wrong. I want to help." Eagle had realized as he had said the words that he fully meant them. They had also finally made Hikaru move. She collapsed onto his chest, sobbing.

"Eagle…Eagle, I killed them…I killed them…"

Eagle, surprised at first, had carefully put his arms around the red-haired Knight, comforting.

"Shh…shh, it's okay…Hikaru…it's okay…"

Eventually she had stopped sobbing so hard, though her eyes seemed on the verge of tears. Eagle had taken the lull to lean back slightly, look into her face.

"Hikaru, who did you kill?"

Hikaru had stared at him a moment, a few stray tears slipping down her cheeks, then she looked down, despair written in her very movements.

"Zagato and…and Princess Emeraude."

Suddenly Eagle had understood. She was still remembering the fight that had ended with the death of both the High Priest and the former Pillar, both at the hands of the Magic Knights.

"Hikaru," he said quietly, "it's not your fault."

"Yes it is!" She cried, looking back into his eyes. "I could have saved them, and Cephiro, but instead…instead I slaughtered them. Umi and Fuu always compared Cephiro to a game, and I treated Zagato and the Princess like game pieces. Like they had no feelings! Like they didn't matter if they died! And I killed them. With my own hands, I drove the sword through her; with these hands, these bloody, terrible, killing hands!"

Hikaru had clenched her fists too tightly; blood spurted up from where her fingernails had pierced the skin. Eagle, surprised, had quickly grabbed her hands to prevent further damage, ripping off a piece of his sheet to make an impromptu bandage.

"Hikaru," he said gently while wrapping the white sheet around her bloody hands, "you have to stop blaming yourself. Think of the good you did! Think about it. Without you, Cephiro would have been completely destroyed."

Hikaru looked up at him, eyes filled with inexpressible pain.

"Yes, and look at where they are now! Trapped in a crumbling castle while their land shatters around them, and it's all my fault. And I made Umi…and Fuu…I forced them to come here! It's my fault if they get hurt."

Eagle had shaken his head as she talked. "No, Hikaru. They love you. I'm sure they would not have come here if they had not wanted to. And look at all the people! The citizens of Cephiro

Hikaru had looked away while he had been talking, staring at the shining dome, still too hurt and too raw to let his comfort sink in. Eagle had regarded her softly, unreasonably sad at the look on her face and wanting, more than anything, to comfort her. He did the first thing that came to mind.

"Hikaru, if I embraced you now, would your friends yell at me?"

Hikaru looked at him slowly, tears forming in her lovely eyes. And then she had fallen into his arms, and he had held her gently, muttering soothing words. Tears had fallen from her eyes onto his black clothes, but they were tears of healing now, not despair.

After a while, after Hikaru had calmed down and her tears had slowed, Eagle had heard a little chuckle from the bowed head.

"What is it?" He asked, and already he had had a faint smile growing on his face.

"You always seem to know what to say to make me happy again." Her words grew slowly clearer as she had looked up into Eagle's smiling face.

"Really? That makes me feel better. I suppose we both have the same gift."

Hikaru had laughed at his words, and Eagle had laughed right along with her, feeling immeasurably and unreasonably better for seeing her smile again. She sobered slightly, still smiling as she looked at him.

"Thank you."

Eagle had looked at her for a moment, grinning, but then a curious thought crossed his mind.

"Hikaru…" he queried, thinking, "why did you come to me?"

Hikaru glanced at him in surprise, then frowned. "I'm not sure. I think because…despite the fact that we are fighting each other, I can't help but trust you."

Eagle grinned again. "That's funny. I feel the same way."

"I would like to know you better, after all this." She continued.

And then something had clicked inside Eagle's mind, something that had been niggling at him since he had first seen her, something terribly important. He had bitten back a gasp, and forced himself to answer rationally.

"I-…I would like that too."

She smiled up at him.

And in the suddenness of his revelation, Eagle had not been able to prevent himself from staring at her, his eyes gentle. He swallowed suddenly, realizing how close their faces were to each other. His breath came with difficulty.

"Hikaru…" he said, breathing strangely.

She had looked up into his eyes, and he had leaned in a little. But just before they touched, a voice had echoed through the castle, magically amplified, and they leaped apart. For a moment, Eagle had stared at her, but then Umi had called again, bidding Hikaru to come and say goodbye as the blue-haired Magic Knight went to do battle with Tarta and Tatra of Chizeta and Fuu left for the Fahren Dragon ship. Hikaru had jumped up swiftly, and called back a cheerful farewell as she ran out of the room. Now, Eagle could almost hear her happy tones echoing about his lonely chamber. They had been so close…!

Eagle smiled again as he stared at the ceiling from where he lay, head on hands. So close…

Suddenly, his pleasant reverie was interrupted by the slamming of a door somewhere down a hallway. Footsteps, fast and hard, reverberated down the corridor leading to Eagle's cell. Eagle sat up, wondering if it was Hikaru again. The cell door slammed open.

"Lantis!" Eagle gasped, surprised. And then Lantis was through the barrier and had Eagle by the throat, holding him two inches off the ground, eyes brutal, murderous.

"Lan...tis…" Eagle choked out, hardly able to breathe.

"What did you do to her!" He shouted, anger in his eyes and voice. He shook Eagle again. "What did you do to her!"

Eagle's hands grasped uselessly at Lantis' death grip, trying to free himself to breathe.

"I…don't…know…what…you're…talking about!" Eagle gasped out a response, trying hard to get some air to his lungs.

"LIAR!" Lantis shouted, flinging the white-haired Autozam commander against the wall of his cell. Eagle slammed into the barrier, falling to the ground painfully, gasping for breath. Lantis stormed over to him.

"You were the last one she spoke too! _What did you to her?_"

Eagle's eyes widened in sudden realization.

"You mean…Hikaru?"

Lantis grabbed him and tossed him over towards the bed again, rage burning through his veins.

"Yes, Hikaru! The same that is lying the council chamber right now, almost…"

Lantis trailed off, pained in a terrible way by the image of Hikaru's bloody figure.

Eagle's eyes widened.

"Did something happen to her? Is she hurt?"

Lantis slammed a fist into the barrier.

"Yes! Something happened to her! Yes! She is hurt! And I want to know what you did!"

The black-cloaked magic Swordsman whirled around to face the Commander. But Eagle's face had paled to a blanched white, shock written on his features.

"Is she alright?"

Lantis' brows contracted.

"You don't know?"

Eagle shook his head, worry edging on panic.

"No, I had no idea. What happened to her? Is she alright?"

Lantis turned back to the barrier, defeat in his voice.

"No. She is not."

Eagle wondered at this sudden reversion from fury. But another matter still held his attention.

"She isn't…she can't be…"

Once again, the note of pain and weariness penetrated Lantis' words.

"No. She is not dead."

Eagle sighed in relief, but panic still tightened his features.

"Well, can I see her? Can I talk to her? Lantis, understand – "

"I do understand! Do you think I am not worried as well?" Lantis whirled on Eagle.

Eagle was taken aback. Was that…frustration in his voice? For all the years Eagle had known him, Lantis had never been more than mildly irritated. Not only was his anger startling, but his evident rollercoaster of emotion was throwing Eagle off greatly. This was not the Lantis he knew.

Lantis sighed, reigning back his turbulent emotions. It would not do for Eagle to see him this way. It would not do for _anyone_ to see him this way. Nevertheless, his head dropped into his hands in weariness before he spoke.

"Forgive me. I am not myself."

Eagle did not respond, simply staring at his old friend, slightly startled though the panic over Hikaru's health was somewhat subsided. Lantis walked over to only other seat in the room and sat down, dropping his head to rest on his battle-scarred hands. Eagle stood from where Lantis had last thrown him, sitting gently on the bed, wincing as he did so. He would have bruises tomorrow.

"Lantis, please tell me what happened."

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Ah...and now the other love interest...I love his white hair. But then, I love Lantis' cloak. Oh, the agony of decision!


	4. Bright Memory

I nearly died this afternoon...

I loaded up my laptop, as pleasant as you like, and haf just opened my story when, lo and behold! My laptop yelled at me that I was opening a file that was desperately corrupted! Well, after nearly passing out and suffering severely debilitating trauma, I hunted about in the recesses of my computer for my precious and safely held copy of the story.

It was safe and sound, and I loaded it and tried to fix the errors...

I think I might have gotten the two Chizeta sisters' names wrong. If someone knows, could they kindly leave me a review so I don't embarrass myself further? Thanks!

On to my (safely recovered) story!

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Umi struck the ground running, the slight bruise in her shoulder forgotten in the heat of battle.

_She's good! Who would have thought that the nicest of the two Chizeta sister would also be the best fighter?" _Umi skidded to a halt, allowing no pause as she swiftly leaped forward to deal a crippling blow to Tatra, the elder sister of Tarta, whom Umi had already defeated. Tatra blocked the blow, sending her energy-whip crackling after Umi, who barely dodged in time.

Umi had arrived at the impromptu dueling arena only twenty minutes before, but Tarta had been more than ready to duel. As it turned out, Tarta had been to overconfident, and Umi had defeated her after only a short, but furious, duel. Tarta had taken her defeat surprisingly gracefully, considering her volatile nature, and she had left the arena friends with Umi. But then Tatra had stepped up, and Umi had been dueling hard for almost half-an-hour. She was getting short of breath and her dodges and parries grew slower and less sure, but Tatra seemed as fresh and ready as she had when they had begun the duel.

Another strike with the whip was sent sweeping Umi's way, and again she jumped, barely dodging the searing energy.

_I can't go on like this!_ Umi thought desperately, _So long as I'm on the defensive, I have no chance of winning!_

Another blow with the whip grazed the water Knight's side, and she skipped away, avoiding further damage. _I can't lose! Cephiro depends on me. Hikaru and Fuu depend on me. Everyone depends on me!_

She dodged again, the panic on her face spreading. She knew she had to go on the offensive, but the non-stop attacks from Tatra's deadly whip made it impossible to do anything. She leaped high into the air, evading Tatra's attack and summoning her power as swiftly as she could. She poured all her energy into the spell, yelling the words across the distance, determined that she would win.

"Water…DRAGON!"

Her liquid creature rushed at Tatra, but the princess held it off with her magic, pushing against the dragon and winning.

Umi landed, panting heavily, watching as her attack was thwarted. Her eyes widened.

_No! I can't believe it! She blocked it!_

Tatra recovered from the blast, standing to send her whip spinning towards Umi.

The girl dodged automatically, her mind still wheeling in shock.

_It didn't work! My best was not enough! This can't be! This can't be happening!_

But it was. Tatra jerked her whip with practiced ease, sending it from its current path back towards the running Magic Knight. Umi leaped aside, still dazed.

I can't lose. I just can't. I can't lose now. Please, I have to win. Let me win. I need something that will let me win.

Tatra flicked her weapon one last time, drawing it back and flinging it toward Umi in a final, fatal blow. Umi watched the gleaming whip near, knowing that she could not move in time, that this was the finish. And as she watched it, time seemed to slow, so that the whip seemed to almost freeze in mid-air, its death-dealing strength delayed for a time. And Umi flew down deep into herself, down into the innermost depths of her heart, down into what was, above all else, herself.

Images, beautiful and impossible, appeared in a never-ending, terrible mantra. Caldina and Lafarga, standing side by side and smiling. Ferio, holding a blushing Fuu. Mokona bouncing on Primera. Clef turning towards her, a smile flashing onto his face. Ascot, looking down at her from his great height, something strange in his eyes and a faint color on his cheeks.

And Hikaru. Flashes of Hikaru from their last journey to Cephiro. Hikaru introducing herself. Hikaru hugging the great fish-bird. Hikaru meeting Presea. Hikaru holding Mokona and smiling.

Then the scenes changed. Now Hikaru was standing against Alycone though she had no hope of winning. Now she was fighting the great creature Ascot had summoned at Presea's house. Now she was attracting the light-creature with her own blood. Now she was standing in front of Zagato within the volcano, protecting Umi and Fuu from his attacks.

A new feeling emerged. Hikaru holding a dying Presea, tears darkening her once-bright eyes. Hikaru crying out as she was carried away from a fatally outnumbered Clef. Hikaru realizing the truth of the Legend of the Magic Knights.

And suddenly Umi felt it. That strength that came from the love that she had for her little sister, Hikaru. The strength that flowed because she cared for others, because she loved them. The strength that gave her that last, great power she needed because she had to protect those she loved.

Around Umi, a glow suddenly sprang up, pulsing blue, and she raised her great sword above her head, once again filled with the same power that Clef had introduced into her.

The whip sped towards Umi, it's power unheeding the sudden change in it's target. But Tatra saw it, and shock made her hesitate one, fatal moment.

Umi looked up, eyes glowing with the same power that resonated through her.

"ICE BLADE!"

Hundreds of razor-sharp icicles sped towards Tatra, and in her surprise the woman from Chizeta could not block them. They struck and shattered her whip without hesitating. They flew swiftly, narrowing in on the woman Umi had been fighting. But suddenly Tatra was gone, and Umi looked around herself wildly to see where her opponent had gone, expecting another attack.

But Tatra landed directly in front of the water Knight, though she made no move to attack. They stood, staring into each other's eyes, Umi's hard and defiant, and Tatra's careful and searching. Then Tatra stepped back, the same genial smile on her face, and she knelt in front of Umi, the two parts of her cracked whip held out before her.

"T-Tatra…"

Tatra looked up at the bewildered Knight. She tilted her head to the side, still grinning amiably.

"I never would have defeated such power. I concede. Chizeta will not invade Cephiro."

Umi's mouth gaped a few times, making her look suspiciously like a grounded fish. Then she smiled.

"Thank you. Both of you." She took the broken whip from Tatra's hand, and put the two shattered pieces back together. Then she handed it back to Tatra, giving the other girl a hand up.

"I know that now we are at least not enemies. But I'd really like to be friends." Tatra nodded happily in agreement with Umi request, and then pulled a protesting Tarta out to stand with her.

"Of course we will be friends. Right, Tarta?"

Tarta humphed and crossed her arms, turning away from the two others. But then Umi placed a gentle hand on Tarta's shoulder, and they looked at each other. Then, suddenly, Tarta broke out in a smile, and Tatra engulfed them all in a breath-stealing hug.

"Oh, I'm so happy we're all friends!"

Tarta gasped and fish-mouthed, and Umi wheezed out,

"That's great, Tatra. But could you please let go? You're suffocating us."

Tatra smiled and let them both go, where they stood for a moment, catching their breath. Immediately Tarta started to yell at Tatra, who took it all with a bemused and pleasant expression. Umi watched them for a moment, smiling softly.

………

_please…_

_Someone … anyone…_

_HELP ME!_

The cry tore through Umi's thoughts, ripping her mind away and pouring into it terrible pain, denial, sorrow, despair, and agony. It held her for a moment, trapping her.

And then suddenly it was gone, as if it had been cut off abruptly. She reeled a bit from the shock, and Tatra was suddenly beside her, holding her up. Tarta was already on her other side, supporting.

"Umi?" she asked, "are you alright? You kinda spaced out there for a second."

Umi placed her hands on either side of her head, shaking it more in an effort to deny the source of the pain than to clear her head.

"Hikaru." she said shakily. Suddenly she turned to Tarta, speaking quickly.

"Can you get me back to the castle? I need to be there. Now."

Tarta nodded confusedly, and opened her mouth to question. Umi intercepted her.

"Not now. I'll explain later. Just hurry. Please, hurry."

-

-

Not long later they were speeding towards the palace created by Clef and those with strong will. Umi stood at the front of the ship, gripping the railing with whitened knuckles.

_We must hurry, _she thought, _we must go faster._

She had no idea what could have caused the sudden outcry from Hikaru, but Umi knew it was something sufficiently terrible. Hikaru had strong shields around her emotions, and rarely could Umi or Fuu break through them to see how their 'little sister' was truly faring. Whatever had just happened to her, Umi knew that Hikaru must have been in hundreds of times more pain than Umi had felt, simply because it would take that much for Hikaru to broadcast her feelings.

She tightened her grip on the rails.

_Hurry._

_-_

_-_

Oh, Umi, if only you knew! I actually wrote this bit super-quick. Iwanted to get back to Hikaru, but I knew I needed to explain where Umi and Fuu were...

What? You say I didn'tsay anything about Fuu?

Ah-hah...that, mydear reader, is my clever ploy to make you come back tomorrow to read the next chapter! Pretty clever, no?

As always, thanks for your kind reviews!


	5. Begging for Dawn

I finally fixed this chapter. This chapter (along with one other) has given me the most trouble. I had to rewrite a great section of it. Took awhile... :(

Neways. I hope I got the Chizeta sisters' names right...I won't stop worrying until someone lets me know!

The first time I posted this story, I got to about this point and then the file on my computer got entirely deleted. The second time, I don't know why, but when I posted it I found out that it had used a beta version, not the edited one that I prefered. So the pairings were different.

However! I have triumphed over the abnormalities that have assailed me these long months! Never fear, reader dear, I have vanquished the foul typo and have bested the villainous format! And, emerging victorious, I bring you my spoils of war:

The next chapter!

-

-

Fuu sat, sipping the tea with commendable manners. Lady Aska of Fahren had invited her over to the ship for tea and to announce her decision to withdraw from Cephiro. Right now they were sitting in Aska's receiving chambers, with Sang-yun and Chang-an.

Aska looked up from her cup of tea, looking embarrassed and a little scared.

"Fuu-san…" She trailed off, looking towards Sang-yun for encouragement. He whispered, "Go for it, Lady Aska!", and gave her a thumbs-up. She turned back to Fuu, much encouraged.

(A/N – I hate doing these! It _so_ interruptes the mood. But I figured some of you might want to know that I had to give Fuu the japanese suffix because there was simply no other way to make Aska seem sufficiently polite without sounding stupid. For those of you wondering , the suffix '-san' is a term of respect for someone older or higher up than you. In Aska's case, it means 'Miss'.)

"Fuu-san, will you teach me to use a bow and arrow like you do?"

The question was asked very quickly, and Fuu had to sort through it for a moment before realizing what it was the young ruler from Fahren had said. Then she smiled.

"Of course, Your Highness. I would be honored."

Fuu's response prompted a beaming smile from Aska.

"Thank you, thank you, Fuu-san!"

Fuu smiled again, setting down her tea.

"Highness, please call me Fuu."

Aska's smile brightened, and her face seemed to glow from happiness.

"Really? Then you call me Aska! Is that okay, Fuu-sa…Fuu?"

Fuu smiled at the worried tone that suddenly was present in Aska's voice. The little ruler was so worried about how to act around her first real friend that the slightest thing would set her off. Fuu made sure her smile was specially friendly as she answered.

"Yes, I would be honored to call you that."

Aska smiled, and Fuu smiled back, content with their new-found friendship.

_HELP ME!_

The scream ripped Fuu's mind, the incredible anguish and pain boring through her skull, catching her in its terrible agony.

"Hikaru…"

And then it disappeared, cut off as if it had never been. Fuu gasped and fell forward a bit onto the table, barely missing her cup. Aska rushed over to her.

"Fuu! Fuu, are you alright!"

Fuu took a deep breath, calming herself before responding.

"I-I'm fine. Aska, how quickly can you get this ship to the castle?"

Aska seemed puzzled and looked to Chang-an to respond.

"Very swiftly, my lady."

Fuu nodded, breathing deeply again.

"Good. Do it."

Aska nodded to Chang-an, seemingly quite unaware that she had just been given her first order. The old man hurried off, and Fuu picked up her teacup again, her faintly shaking hands the only sign of what she had just experienced.

-

-

Presea leaned back in her chair with a sigh, a worried frown on her face. Ever since Lantis had left Hikaru with Clef in the council room, the Master Mage had not spoken one word on the girl's condition. Even now, he was bent over her, his magic as a blue ball of energy within his hand, searching out the wounds and repairing them as best he was able. Clef had been using his magic constantly, except when he had gently carried Hikaru to his own chambers, laying her on the bed softly before getting to work.

Presea sighed again. They had been in this room what, four, five hours? She had lost count. After the first half-hour everything had settled into a routine. Clef leaning over the still form of Hikaru, muttering once in a while, then suddenly looking up and requesting certain items. Presea would dash out to get the requested items, run back, hand them to the Mage, and the whole process would start over again. Once, the smith had broken the silence and asked if she should summon the other Magic Knights. Clef had answered with a curt shake of his head. That had been nearly two hours ago. Now Presea estimated that Clef had moved two inches during that time.

A crease wrinkled her fine brow. Normally, there wasn't much that could bother a Master Smith, but Hikaru's condition and Clef's unceasing efforts to heal her were resulting in causing more worry in two hours than Presea had felt in a lifetime. She sighed quietly and rubbed her temples, bone weary. She sat there a moment, then straightened up, realizing that no matter how terrible it was here, things were no better in other parts of the castle.

-

-

She was right.

"Lafarga, it'd take more than just a coupla scratches to take down our little Hikaru. Sit down!"

Caldina's protest went as unnoticed as all her previous ones. Considering the expression on Lafarga's face, she might as well not have spoken. Caldina sighed wearily, much as Presea had just moments before in Clef's chambers, which were located behind them.

'Them' constituted Caldina, Lafarga, Lantis, and three young children who claimed to have heard their 'big sister' cry out in pain, and had come to see what was wrong. Ferio had slipped in earlier, asked briefly for an explanation, and then left, a dangerous look on his face. Caldina had stopped worrying about him. There were bigger things to think about. The children were all sitting together on the opposite side of the small antechamber, playing with a small bag of rocks one of them had brought.

_At least someone's having fun_, the tired illusionist thought, looking over at the other two occupants of the room. Lafarga was pacing the room, an absorbed and slightly anxious look on his face. The room was far to small for someone of the swordsman's size to pace very well, and he had been steadily getting more agitated as time went on. Now he was crossing the floor in two hasty, lengthened steps. But he was at least moving.

Lantis had come in about an hour ago, a dangerous look on his face. He had burst through the doors commandingly, making it through the length of the chamber in a matter of seconds, and was about to bust open the door to Clef's room before Caldina and Lafarga had stopped him. It had taken them both almost ten minutes to wrestle the magic swordsman to the ground, and another twenty before he had decided that he wouldn't seek everlasting revenge on them both the moment Lafarga let go of his feet and Caldina stopped sitting on him. They had finally let him up, and he sat on the last chair on the room, staring into nothing. He hadn't moved since them. Caldina scrunched up her nose. That infernal stare was almost worse than Lafarga's pacing.

"Lafarga, wouldja please _SIT DOWN!_"

The blonde man looked up in surprise at Caldina's cry, finally seeming to realize she was there. He slowly walked over to his chair, sitting in it carefully, as if afraid of further offending the seething illusionist. Caldina glared at him a minute, then sat back in her own seat with a huff. Lantis stared into nothing as though no one else in the room existed. Caldina ground her teeth. Things were _not_ looking up.

-

-

"What do they expect me to do in a cell this small? Do they wish me to go _insane!"_

Eagle slammed his fist into the barrier again, his rage building. Then he sighed, relaxing his fist against the blue wall, his anger gone as suddenly as it had come. Agitation, worry, concern all quickly rose up in it's place, and in a moment the Autozam Commander was pacing around his small cell.

Again.

Things had been much like this since Lantis had left an hour ago. He would pace, grow angry, slam the wall, calm down, think for a moment, and then start pacing again. One question had kept on reverberating through his over-tired mind: Why wouldn't Lantis let him go?

Naturally, Eagle knew the answer. He simply didn't like it, and so pretending he had no clue was an easier task than telling the truth.

Because the truth had become painfully clear in the last two hours. Clearer than Eagle had wanted it to.

_She was lying in bed, bleeding… _

Eagle completed another circuit, Lantis' words echoing through his head. "But why did you go to her room, Lantis?"

_I was very…surprised. I suppose I had imagined that she was invincible… _

His steps lengthened, trying to work past some of the tension. "You fool. Everyone has a weakness. Everyone except Hikaru…"

_I carried her to the Master Mage. He said he could heal her._

He rubbed his hand where he had punched the barrier earlier. "Of course, he can. Clef could do anything. But Autozam has the best medicines anywhere. Why didn't you bring her here? Why didn't you let me see her?"

_When I saw her lying on the floor like that…hardly breathing…I almost…I couldn't even…._

"Couldn't even what, Lantis? Couldn't breathe? Couldn't think? That's how I felt. Did it feel like your heart was ripped out of your chest and torn, like you were being suffocated by an overwhelming strength? That's how I felt."

_No, Eagle. I can't let you see her. I can't let you near-… _

"Can't? Or won't? If I become the next Pillar, then everything will be fine. I simply will never see her again. But if she becomes the Pillar…"

Eagle dropped his head into his hands, sinking onto his bed, a strange laugh echoing about the small chamber.

"Oh, Lantis. We might have fallen in love with the Pillar of Cephiro."

-

-

_The Pillar of Cephiro…something has happened to the Pillar. She's…she's…in love? _

Clef gritted his teeth and concentrated. He was over-reaching himself, he knew. But Hikaru, the Magic Knight of Fire and possibly the next Pillar, was dying on his bed. He had to do something.

_It's someone close to her. She loves him very much. He has dedicated his life to serving her, and she knows this._

The glow between his hands brightened as he began to work on another of her broken ribs.

_The funny thing is…he loves her back. They've been in love since they first saw each other, and neither of them knew it._

A drop of sweat slid down the side of the mage's cheek, his forehead wet with perspiration.

_He knew it…when he first told her his name. He fully realized when he began to talk to her, to help her on her path. She always seemed so eager to do the right thing, to become the perfect example for everyone. Always so happy, so ready. He knew he loved her. He knew she loved him…but as a friend…or was it more?_

Slowly, grudgingly, the splinters of bone began to pull back together, to recreate themselves into what they were meant to be.

_He knew it. But he could never say anything. He was her protector, her guide, her helper in all things. They could never be together. She could never say she loved. Not just him, but anybody. But she did love this world, the world that she saved time and again. _

Cautiously the bone began to knit, forming a weak bond that grew stronger as more of Clef's magic poured into it.

_But from the love, all that came was sadness, pain, and betrayal. It was never meant to be._

Slowly the last bone fit together slightly, warning that rest and recuperation would be needed before she could be totally healed.

_Princess Emeraude, the Pillar of Cephiro, who so loved High Priest Zagato that she died for him. Would that story ever be repeated? Watch the legend, young man, watch the legend._

Clef frowned deeper. The words of the legend poured through his brain, as told by his mother. The last part, about Zagato and his Princess, had been added only recently. Now the legend had come to pass…but as the last words said, who knew if it were over?

Clef shook his head slightly, banishing the words. He didn't, couldn't care about what had happened to Zagato and Emeraude, because now he had others he had to protect, to guide, to help.

He looked into the face of the Magic Knight of Fire.

_Would that story ever be repeated? _

Her long, unbound red hair, flowing over her shoulders; her face, fine and elfin, engraved on his mind; her eyes, now closed, that had so torn his heart in two when he looked into them. Eyes that could be warm, smiling, laughing, gentle, crying, determined, strong, hurt. Eyes that seemed to stare at him from inside his head. Eyes that could only be so bright from the love they carried.

_Watch the legend, young man, watch the legend._

Slowly his head lowered, the glow in his hands fading, an indescribable sadness falling over him.

_It's not over. It's not over._

His hands came up to cover his face, tears falling from his eyes. Vaguely he heard Presea saying something, but the only voice he heard was his own.

_Please, Princess, if you can even hear me now…_

He collapsed on the bed, utterly defeated, exhausted. His power twisted and curled in on itself, spent. He did not even know which Princess he was addressing now.

Presea jumped from her seat, moving over to him, but the only sound he heard was the faint beat beside him, the only hope in a dying world. The beat that, if broken, would mean the end of everything the Mage held dear. But if not….

_I don't know how to keep her from love, but Princess, if you can find a way, any way, don't let this heart be broken. Oh, please, save my Cephiro…_

Tears seeped from the corners of his eyes, blackness closing in around him.

_Save yourself…_

And his last thought drifted painlessly from his mind, his depleted strength claiming its due on him.

_Because I cannot…_

_-_

_-_

I liked the title for this chapter...I've been finding things that have something to do with light. Hence the title, andthe chapter names, and such-like. I'm so proud of me:)

Noticed yet that nothing really happened in this chapter? Don't fret, the next bit will contain a great deal of fun...thanks again for reviewing!


	6. Glimpse of the Sun

Small note of little interest: Ascot is VERY cute. Especially grown up!

Storytime!

-

-

Eagle leaned back in his bed, his face a mask of indifference.

_I don't care. She's the enemy. I don't care. She's the enemy._

He had started this mantra but a few moments ago, trying to somehow reason out why no one had told him what had happened to Hikaru. His best response was to lapse back into the apathetic boredom that had so characterized his life before he had met Lantis.

So far, it wasn't working.

_She's the enemy. I don't care._

A minute passed.

_She's the enemy. I don't care_.

Two.

_She's the enemy. I don't care._

Five.

_She's the enemy-…Curse it, why hasn't Lantis come back? _

He stood, resuming his pacing. In the back of his mind, the truth lingered. And, curse it, it wasn't letting him lie to himself.

He was just rounding the corner of his pallet when a _crash_ shook the palace.

_Ah,_ he thought, smiling wryly, _the other Magic Knights arrive._

_-_

_-_

"Hurry…."

Umi leaned over the railing, gripping it so tightly that her hands were whitened from lack of blood. The palace loomed ever closer, seeming almost within reach of the speeding Chizeta ship. But it seemed to Umi as though they would never quite get there.

"How much longer?" Tatra asked her sister under her breath, staring at the fixated blue-haired girl.

"Not much." Unusually, Tatra's oblivious sister was also lowering her voice, as worried about Umi as Tatra was.

They were sitting a little behind Umi, reclined in piles of comfortable pillows. Once during the hours-long flight they had offered Umi a seat. She had responded with a curt shake of her head. That was the last time she had acknowledged them. Since then, the two sisters had carried on a few curt conversations about this Fire Knight that Umi seemed so worried about. From the curt description Umi had given before ignoring them altogether, Hikaru was something of an angel. Smart, funny, innocent, perfect…the words Umi had used were almost unbelievable. However, neither sister, after seeing Umi's distress, had wanted to contradict the girl. Whatever else Hikaru was, it was obvious she was dear to their new friend.

And that was why they had not denied her the transportation back to her home, even though there was a chance that eager Cephiran residents could take it upon themselves to attack their ship. Tarta had denied that the citizens would do any such thing….but there was always a chance.

They were nearing the palace at breakneck speed, and only Tatra's complete confidence in her sister's ability to control their transport kept her from panicking. She was, however, holding rather to tightly onto said sister's arm.

"How much longer?" she said, through gritted teeth.

"Fifteen seconds less from the last time you asked." Tarta responded cheerfully, easily removing her bloodless limb from Tatra's deathgrip.

Hurry. Faster.

Umi ground her teeth in irritation. So close…so close. The palace…she could almost touch it…why weren't they there yet? They had to hurry…Hikaru was hurt.

Umi leaned even farther over the railing, looking as though she might simply jump the remaining distance to reach the elusive castle. She had calmed down considerably since she had first heard Hikaru's cry within her heart. At first, she had almost run off the platform and leapt into space to dash to the palace through the air. Only the smallest margin of her mind that still retained it's senses told her to ask Tarta and Tatra to take her.

Hikaru! Her mind swirled and leaped to outrageous conclusions in her panic. Perhaps Hikaru had been attacked in her sleep. Maybe she had gone to fight Debonair on her own. What if she had been transported back to Earth? Too many possibilities, each one worse than the last. Umi had only the barest hint of what had happened, only the slightest idea of her foster sister's condition. All she knew was that Hikaru was hurt. Badly.

And Umi hadn't been there to prevent it.

All her life after meeting Hikaru had changed. First, their battle against the mud-monster. It had been Hikaru who had first taken the initiative, had first attacked, had first realized the creature's weakness.

Then becoming Magic Knights. Umi had feared to believe that it was her destiny, preferring to live in dreams of going home. But Hikaru had accepted her fate wholeheartedly, taking the people of Cephiro into her heart in such a complete and selfless way that it made Umi ashamed. Hikaru had always been the most courageous, the most caring of all of them. She had always been the first into the fight, preferring to take the fight away from the other two, and protect them, rather than allow herself to stand back and let someone else fight instead.

And from there, Umi had realized the importance of Hikaru. The selfless nature, the caring heart, the bold spirit, the accepting mind. It had not taken her long to realize that without Hikaru, neither Umi nor Fuu would have ever completed their quest. They would have died with Alcyone, too scared to move.

The importance of Hikaru. It had caused Umi to change so much. From the spoiled, selfish princess she had been, Umi had become a caring individual, cautious but courageous in a fight. Willing to devote herself to other people. Without Hikaru, Umi would never have been able to love as she thought she might now. Even as the thought came to her, the image of a white-haired sorcerer appeared in her mind.

_Not now!_ She thought furiously.

So Hikaru had become the most important thing in her life. Fuu had realized it too. They both had decided early on to devote their lives to Hikaru, because through Hikaru's unknowing teaching, they would both live. Umi felt a little hypocritical, since the ideal of protecting someone else for your own ends was a very selfish one, and Umi thought she had outgrown the selfish part of herself.

But Hikaru was worth being selfish about. When Umi had seen Hikaru just before their transportation back to Cephiro, and had seen the terrible pain on Hikaru's face, it had been almost more than she could bear. Through giving their lives to Hikaru, Umi and Fuu could finally live. And when Hikaru was hurt and saddened, it was like part of their lives was being damped.

And now Hikaru was hurt.

Probably badly.

Umi tightened her loosening grip on the rails. They had to hurry. If Hikaru died…

CRASH!

She felt the jolt through her, feeling and knowing that they had finally docked with the castle. Long before the echoes had subsided she was waiting impatiently at the exit, needing to get out, needing to get to Hikaru. She watched as the two djinn's swirled together to become the ramp leading to the entrance.

"Thank you, Tarta, Tatra!" She called, not looking back as she sprinted down the pathway. As she ran, she noted a shimmering sphere that was descending quickly towards her destination, a strange symbol on it's front.

Fuu, returning from Fahren. Good.

Until now, it had not occurred to the blue-haired knight that perhaps Fuu would not be there. It had not even occurred to her that Fuu existed. From the look on the Wind Knight's nearing face, Fuu had not considered Umi either. As they both reached the platform, however, they realized that they were unaccountably happy for the other's presence. They reached the landing at the same time, the bubble around Fuu popping as she disembarked.

"Umi-san."

"Fuu." They looked at each other for a moment.

"You heard her?" Fuu's question was hardly needed. Umi nodded. Fuu straightened her shoulders and look towards the entrance. Umi did too, suddenly realizing that however much she had wanted to get here, now that she had finally reached the palace she was afraid to go in. Afraid of what she might find.

"Fuu…" She said tentatively.

"Yes, Umi-san?" Fuu's pretty brown head turned towards the Water Knight, inquisitive and very serious.

"I'm scared." Umi's words echoed hollowly across the opening. Fuu nodded, understanding.

"It will be fine, Umi."

But somehow, the Wind Knight's words rang dull, and Umi found no comfort in them. She turned back to the door, still not wanting to go inside. But before her, the doors exploded outward, and the green-haired figure of the Prince of Cephiro came dashing out, his eyes on Fuu. Umi turned away, unable to watch the reunion. The softness in Ferio's eyes as he gathered Fuu into his arms was something Umi desperately needed, and had no one to give it to her.

"Umi…?" A soft question sounded from behind her, the quiet voice searching. She turned, and saw Ascot standing in the shadows of the entrance.

"Ascot…" She said, all of her pain and fear rising up in her, choking her, and her eyes pleaded for some form of reassurance.

By some blessed means, Ascot felt this, and somehow forced himself to step forward, past his bashfulness.

"Umi…" He touched her shoulder lightly, speaking with all the comfort he had within him.

"She's alive."

Umi sobbed out in relief, collapsing onto Ascot's chest, all the worry and fears of the last hours rising up in her, slowly being dispelled by the comfort in those words.

Ascot slowly put his arms around her, unsure if she would like his comfort. But Umi simply burrowed farther into his hesitant embrace, feeling the tenseness dissolving out of her.

As her tears finally slowed, she looked up into Ascot's brown eyes.

"Thank you, Ascot." Her words seemed to spark something within the Summoner, and suddenly his eyes were filled with something that Umi could not quite define. The intense emotion suddenly within Ascot's eyes made her afraid, scared of what it might mean. And then she stepped back out of his arms, and the look faded, and she made herself forget.

"Ascot, can you take me to where Hikaru is?"

-

-

Fuu stood outside the doorway leading into the palace, as unwilling as Umi to enter, as unwilling to see what might await them.

But then the doors exploded, and she saw the familiar flash of green hair, and then she was surrounded by strong, comforting arms, and she felt the tears she had tried to hold back finally rise into her eyes.

"Fuu…" Ferio clasped her tighter, never wanting to let go, never wanting to stop feeling Fuu's slight figure within his embrace. But after far too short a time, his princess pulled back.

"Ferio…Hikaru-san…is she…"

Ferio pulled her to him, stroking her soft brown hair lovingly.

"She's alive."

"Oh, Ferio!" Fuu threw her arms around the prince, her relief evident. Ferio grinned and held her closer, loving the feel of Fuu's light brown hair beneath his hand. For a moment, they stood there, locked together, and Fuu let her fear drain out of her. Then she suddenly realized what she was doing, and yanked out of Ferio's arms so quickly she almost fell. Ferio caught her, steadied her, then grinned down at her prettily blushing face.

"Now I know how I can get you into my arms."

Fuu blushed brighter at this comment, then recovered.

"Prince Ferio-…"

"Ah, ah, ah!" He said playfully, holding a finger up to her lips. "It's Ferio."

Fuu blushed again.

"Ferio…we need to see Hikaru. Do you know where she is?"

Ferio nodded, his grin fading.

"She's in Clef's rooms. Come on, I'll take you to her."

Fuu nodded, then suddenly recalled Umi.

"Umi-san…" She looked around for a moment, then saw Umi walking towards her, Ascot trailing.

"Oh! Summoner Ascot…I didn't see you." For some reason, Fuu's comment caused Ascot to blush and glance at Umi. But Fuu put it out of her mind.

"Umi-san, we need to go to Hikaru." Umi nodded firmly, and turned towards the palace. Ferio took the lead, capturing Fuu's hand in his, and together they went to see Hikaru.

-

-

Caldina rubbed her brow, her head feeling fit to burst. All around her, the same feeling of tense waiting pervaded.

Presea had come out of the room almost an hour ago now, which made it nearly nine hours since Hikaru had first come into the council room. The smith had seemed worried and tired, and just as grouchy from lack of sleep as the rest of them. She had only just sat down, ready to impart the news, when Umi and Fuu had come bursting through the doorway, followed closely by a frantic Ascot and Ferio. By the time the Magic Knights had been successfully calmed and some semblance of order had been restored, Presea was asleep. Caldina had tiredly ordered the children to leave the room and go to bed, which naturally they refused to do, and so more chaos had ensued. Calm had not yet been completely restored since then, for everyone's nerves were completely on edge and quite ready to explode.

They, namely, the Magic Knights, had finally woken Presea roughly, demanding news of their little sister. Presea had said that the Knight was alive, and that she knew nothing other than that Clef had ordered her out. This had hardly satisfied any of Lafarga, Caldina, Umi, Fuu, Ascot, or even Ferio's curiosity and impatience, and so even more people had started pacing. Right now, Umi, Ferio, and Lafarga held the floor, but Ascot was looking very agitated, and might be persuaded to join them shortly. Probably causing another fight that Caldina would be called on to quiet before they disturbed Clef and his patient.

Caldina rubbed her temples. _Why can't they all just _shut up!

Caldina scanned the room, looking again for potential hazards, and noticed for the fiftieth time that the only one who had not joined the general havoc was Lantis. He was still in the hard chair he had appropriated earlier, staring into space, apparently oblivious to everything around him.

And Caldina, with her perceptive nature, could almost definitely say why.

Not as though she had the chance to be heard, over the fight that had just erupted between Lafarga and Ascot as the pacers ran into each other. Caldina sighed and headed their way, sleeping powder at the ready.

-

-

Why _was _he so worried?

Unfortunately, he still didn't have an answer to that. He knew he was worried, perhaps more panicked than he had ever been. But _why?_

Lantis sighed mentally, tired and defeated, unable to answer this recurrent question.

It wasn't as though he didn't know the answer. He could quite likely figure it out, given the chance. It was only…It was only that he wasn't sure whether or not he _wanted _the answer.

He abandoned that train of thought, unwilling to go where it led. Rather, he concentrated on the only other thing his brain could handle at this moment: Hikaru herself.

Right now, he could picture her. Not her, exactly, but more the _feel _of her, the _look _of her. He could be assured of the way she would react to something, how she would move in a certain way. He could sense the turn of her head in response to a call, understand the flow of her thoughts as she answered a question.

And it was this that bothered him.

He had never know anyone so intimately that he could nearly read their thoughts, not even Eagle. Certainly, he and Eagle had been close friends for many years, but even Lantis could not say precisely how his friend looked. After all, it had been some little time since they'd seen each other.

But Lantis knew that however long he was separated from Hikaru, he would still be able to say precisely how she looked, how her eyebrow quirked, how her mouth dimpled slightly, how her cheek was shaped.

He knew her so intimately. He knew every little detail about her.

Which could only mean one thing….

Lantis blinked, forcing the thoughts back into the back of his mind. He didn't believe what he had just insinuated, not really. He just…was fooling himself.

Lantis almost let out an audible sigh. He was certainly fooling himself. He had seen the way she looked at him when she had first talked to him, with that mixture of fear and hope in her eyes. He had seen how that same fear had never disappeared.

He felt like cursing himself. He was not naturally a demonstrative or soft person, and he was no good putting people at their ease. Rather, he tended to put them at their most defensive. No matter how much, or for what reason, he wanted Hikaru to like him, she would always be a little scared of him unless he did something he could not do.

Which put him at an impasse.

Because the only thing that would convince her that he didn't hate her was…

Lantis cursed mentally. He must have had more of a one-track mind than he thought, because it kept returning to that place he was not going to think about. And he couldn't seem to stop it, either.

-

-

And the first of Lantis' inner dialogues begins! I love it when Lantis has to fight his own brain!

You'll likely see a lot of it in the next few chapters...


	7. Crippled Glow

I've been feeling really terrible about updating…. Since I haven't done it in a year.

:P

Ach, well, what do you do?

You post the rest of the story, that's what!

It'll be separated into chapters, but there will be no more introductions or anything. It's just going to be posted. :D Enjoy!

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Midnight. And all was chaos.

There was Umi and Fuu, sitting close together but talking in voices raised to be heard over the cacophony. Ferio, sitting and standing alternately whilst he unsheathed and sheathed his large blade. Lantis, hands folded and near his mouth, sitting completely still in his chair. Presea, snoring in a corner. And Caldina, emptying the last bit of sleep powder over the weakly struggling Ascot and Lafarga.

Tension most certainly had reached an all-time high.

And it wasn't necessarily because of Hikaru's health, either. For Ascot, the most important and nerve-wracking thing on his mind was the Hug.

Yes, the Hug.

The Hug that constituted the one time he had voluntarily touched Umi. Even as he felt the drowsiness of the sleeping simple that Caldina had used on him, he blushed faintly as he thought of it. Of how perfect Umi had fit into his arms. How she had pulled him closer, and cried on his shoulder. His blush grew more pronounced, and he murmured her name before drifting off.

For Ferio, however worried about Hikaru he was, he was more worried about Fuu. He knew that since she had left 24 hours before, she had not slept or really eaten. She had bags under her pretty eyes, and worry all over her lovely face. The green-haired prince gnashed his teeth and slammed his sword back into it's sheath with an especially vigorous shove.

But for the rest of the crowd, especially a certain dark haired Magic Swordsman, their only thought was for Hikaru.

Except maybe Presea. She was asleep.

But she was probably dreaming of the fire knight, anyway.

If Hikaru had known that she occupied so many people's thoughts, and was causing them worry, she would have been quite distraught.

As it was, no one was sure that they would ever know how Hikaru felt again.

Because, after all, with such severe wounds…

And there was not one person in the antechamber who would finish that thought.

_Creak…._

The doors to Clef's chambers squeaked open, and slowly the white-haired head of the Master Mage appeared in the light.

He was obviously exhausted, and his face had an added weariness beyond that which was common, but there was a tired smile on his face, and a faint glimmer in his eyes.

The others, noticing suddenly that Clef was there, looked up from their various places in surprise and half-panicked question. Clef smiled around at them all, exhausted but exhilarated.

"She is going to be fine."

At once, a cacophony of sound erupted. Presea leaped up from her corner after having been awoken by Clef's entrance, and clapped her hands happily. Umi jumped up from her seat, giving a screech and running over to hug Clef. Fuu gasped and sat back in her chair, overwhelmed. Ferio, a huge grin on his face, snuck over behind her and picked her up, twirling her around and laughing as Fuu squeaked in surprise. Caldina had rushed over to grab Presea's hands, and together they danced around the room, laughing and smiling hugely at the world. They tripped over Lafarga and Ascot, who were just awakening.

Ascot looked around himself, bewildered.

"Wha---What happened?"

Umi laughed aloud and dropped to the floor beside him, her joy making her bold.

"Ascot! She's alright! She's alright!"

And then she enveloped him in a breath-taking hug. Ascot, still lost and wondering what had happened, froze for a moment, but then the truth of everything sank in. His arms came up slowly to encircle Umi, and in his eyes dawned delighted surprise.

Umi pulled back a little and laughed at his expression. He laughed with her, his laugh ringing out gaily after the solemnity of the last few hours. He watched Umi as she giggled, loving the way her eyes crinkled slightly, the way her lips puckered a little as she tried to keep from busting out in hilarity and relief. And the way her cheeks suddenly turned red as she realized their position, she half lying on him, he with his arms around her waist. She jerked back suddenly, blushing furiously.

But she was spared further embarrassment, for Caldina chose that moment to give up trying to explain what had happened to Lafarga.

"Lafarga! She's alright, she's fine, she-"

"Caldina, who---wha---"

And then he was silenced by Caldina's lips on his, and forgot what he was going to say.

Around the room, people gasped and froze for a second, but then cheers and clapping broke out, continuing 'til Caldina pulled back, grinning at Lafarga's bewildered face. Then everyone broke out into laughter, and Umi's face changed back to it's normal color in the light of Caldina's characteristic boldness.

Clef smiled tiredly at them all, but then he looked back into the chamber. His face froze for a moment, and then he fixed his smile back onto his face.

"Friends," he said, turning back to the crowd, "while I am as glad as all of you, we need to be silent. It is important that Hikaru gets rest, and our noise could easily have awakened Lady Debonair from where she is hiding."

The populace of the room settled rather quickly after that. The words Clef had spoken not only warned that Hikaru was far from well, but they had also reminded everyone that Debonair was still out there, trying to destroy their world.

So it was that shortly after Clef had spoken, all of those assembled had filtered out of the room, splitting up and heading off to bed, Clef deciding that he would sleep in the chamber they had just vacated. He would have slept in the chair beside his bed, beside Hikaru, and had intended to. But someone else had gotten there before him.

And however careful Clef was, he knew he could not make this one move.

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Time passed, then. Night, which had only fallen in earnest a few hours before Clef had come out, was now loosening it's hold on the sky, and the faint gray of day was beginning to be visible from behind the thick clouds. In the castle, time-keepers told those who would ask that the hour was just after four in the earliest morning. Day would break in two hours. But few would ask, for all through the castle, people dreamed.

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Lantis stared down at the pale form before him on the bed. He had slipped into the room in the chaos that had followed the news of Hikaru's survival, and because of the excitement, no one had noticed.

So now he sat in the soft chair beside Hikaru's bed, watching as the red-haired angel slept peacefully.

And in his mind, because he was tired and because he had no strength to fight them, strange thoughts played through his brain, each one striking true and deep within his heart.

_She's beautiful._

Lantis nodded at that. That was a rather silly thing to think. Lantis had known the Fire Knight was the most beautiful creature on Cephiro the moment he laid eyes on her.

_She's so strong. The wounds on her, some of them were already scabbed over when you found her. When you heard her cry. She must have been in great pain for much longer than she was shouting._

At the moment, as she lay on the bed with her face as pale as death and great bandages around her arm and ribs, she didn't look particularly strong. But Lantis knew that the moment Hikaru awoke, he would see her eyes glow with the power that was within her loving, caring, happy heart. The heart he held so dear.

_She's still beautiful._

Lantis nodded a second time, never tired of hearing those thoughts. They were safe, for one thing. Thinking that a beautiful person was beautiful had no implications of any other feeling, especially not…

_You love her._

Ouch. That one was a little more painful. While it was true that this particular idea had occurred to him some…oh, hour or so ago, the thought still made his heart beat painfully fast against his ribs. He knew that if he said he loved her, her caring heart wouldn't let her leave him, whether or not she loved him. And knowing that, knowing that she would only stay because it hurt him if she left, he could never say those words to her. The words that pounded so very fiercely through his skull. The words he had only just discovered still existed in this world.

_Wow. You love her. L-O-V-E H-E-R. Incredible. Absolutely amazing. You love her. Love you her. Her love you-_

Lantis halted that train of thought, refusing to get his hopes up. He would just live around her, loving her and not saying it, for the rest of his life. And then, when he died, maybe he would tell Fuu to tell Hikaru, because he could never say it.

Because the only way he could say it, was if she said the same thing to him.

And that could never happen.

Never.

_So why are you envisioning the marriage right now?_

Shut up, he told his brain forcefully. Just shut up.

_Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nyaaaa…You wanna marry Hikaru…_

His brain flung visions of Hikaru married, Hikaru holding his hand, Hikaru looking at him with love, not fear, in her eyes.

_Hikaru and Lantis, sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes babies…_

Lantis clutched at his head. _Oh no. Don't even go there. Don't even _think _about going there._

_Ooh! Ooh! Lantis is afraid! Laaantis is aaaafraid!_

Lantis rubbed his temples, screwing his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the sound of his brain. It wasn't working.

This was going to be a very, very long night.

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"Nova."

The word, spoken quietly, still managed to ring out across the huge stone chamber, resounding off of the walls and making the sound turn startlingly sinister. In one corner of the chasm, a golden spark suddenly appeared, shimmering and gleaming for a moment, and then suddenly expanding to form a girl-shaped figure made of golden light.

Moments later, the light solidified into the grinning, insane features of Nova, dressed in her usual black clothing that was reminiscent of the Magic Knight's armor.

"Yes, Debonair mama?"

Her voice was high, girlish, but with a grating quality that made chills run up the spines of any who heard it. Lady Debonair's voice was hardly more comforting.

"How is the Fire knight?" Debonair always refrained from speaking the Magic Knights' names, avoiding mentioning them as though she was far too highly superstitious.

In answer to the question, however, Nova frowned, her eyes turning slightly red.

"I was almost finished when someone came and interrupted me. Everyone wants to stop me from playing with Hikaru!" Nova finished with a screeching whine and a pout, both far too young to be on her youthful face. Debonair stood from her dark throne, gliding over to the opposite side of the chamber, away from the pouting girl.

"It will be alright, Nova. You will have yet another chance very soon. Very soon, indeed."

A dark smile graced the shadowed face of the enemy of all Cephiro. A slight, grating chuckle emerged from Debonair's black lips, and a moment later Nova's high-pitched laughter joined it. The sounds grew louder and louder around the chamber, echoing off the walls and resounding into the night, where those who heard it shivered in their beds and wished they were somewhere else.


	8. Risking the Blackness

The light was bright, warm, and comforting. She couldn't see where it came from, but she leaned back on the soft grass with a sigh, unwilling to open her eyes to find out.

_Ahhh…it's so beautiful._

Even with her eyes shut, Hikaru could feel the soft breeze, the lovely flowers, the stately trees that rose up around her. The scene was so peaceful Hikaru had a hard time believing it was real.

"That's because it isn't."

Hikaru jerked where she lay, but didn't open her eyes, unwilling to disturb her serenity. The voice sounded familiar, like an echoey version of…Clef?!?

_Who are you?_

She didn't speak the words, but nevertheless she knew whomever it was had heard.

"I'm whatever you want to call me. Right now, I'm your alarm clock."

Hikaru's eyebrows creased. The voice was different this time, sounding suspiciously like Ferio.

_Alarm clock?_

"Yes, Hikaru-san. I am here to wake you up." Now Hikaru could definitely say it was Fuu.

Eyes still shut, Hikaru's fine eyebrows drew together in confusion. Wake me up? But I'm not asleep!

"Oh, Hikaru! You've been dreaming this whole time, silly!" Umi's voice now reached her ears.

_Dreaming? Then…what happened? Why am I asleep?_

Ascot's voice answered. "Actually, we hoped you knew the answer."

Hikaru's mind flew back, remembering, thinking, trying to piece together some kind of picture from the fragments she remembered.

_I was talking to Eagle…then Umi and Fuu wanted to say goodbye…I went to sleep…I was very tired…I dreamed…and then_ Nova…Nova…!

"Yes, Hikaru. Remember." Lantis' deep voice echoed strangely.

"Hikaru, remember and come back to us." She recognized the words as Eagle's.

_I remember…Nova fought me…And I was losing…and she said something…Nova…she said…_

And then Hikaru remembered, and in the deepest part of the castle, suddenly, her eyes opened.

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"Oooh…."

The soft sound jerked Lantis out of his light doze. He had been napping, sitting in the same chair he had appropriated when he came into this room. The same chair he had been sitting in for over twenty-four hours. During that time, he had refused five meals, watched silently as Umi, Fuu, Ferio, Ascot, Caldina, Lafarga, and even Clef (after he had finally woken up from such exhaustive use of his powers) had come in and talked to the comatose Hikaru. According to the Master Mage, Hikaru was simply sleeping off the tiring healing. But no matter how many reassurances that he was given, Lantis had refused to move from his place beside Hikaru's bed. It was close to five-o-clock in the afternoon now, and Lantis had dozed off around four-thirty.

"Uhn…"

Lantis jerked up, the hand that had supported his head now falling away. He saw Hikaru frown, saw the lines of her mouth move slightly as she finally, finally woke up. He leaned over the bed, intent on Hikaru's pale features, praying that she would open her eyes.

A slight moan, a twitch of a fine-boned hand, and Hikaru blinked, then opened her eyes fully to meet Lantis' worried gaze.

"Lantis…?"

Her voice croaked slightly, for she had had nothing to drink for a very long time, and her throat was somewhat raw. Lantis' face relaxed into a relieved grin.

Hikaru's eyes widened. It was the first time she had seen Lantis smile: it looked somehow odd on his face, as though it was unnatural. But it also gave him something she had been unable to see in him before: happiness.

"Lantis…" she whispered, "what happened?"

Lantis' smile stiffened about the edges.

"I'm not sure. I found you on your bed, hurt…." He let his sentence trail off, trying to keep from picturing her battered body. He took a breath, then continued. "I took you to Master Clef, and he healed you for the most part…no, no, don't get up! You must rest!"

Hikaru had been trying to sit up in her bed, but Lantis firmly pushed her down, keeping her from moving.

Hikaru smiled up at him.

A short pause followed.

And then suddenly, Lantis pulled back, his face tinged with the faintest hint of red.

Hikaru lay back, confused.

_What is wrong with him? Is he…blushing?_

"I'll…I'll go tell the others that you…that you're awake." Lantis muttered quickly, standing and nearly running out of the room.

Hikaru watched him leave, flabbergasted.

Was Lantis…_embarrassed_!?!

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Lantis stormed down the hallway, embarrassed and not liking it.

_What is wrong with me? What in the Pillar's name was I doing!?!_

He turned a corner, his cape billowing out behind him in his unchecked speed.

_I have already decided that I would simply not do anything about loving her. She will never have a clue! I should have been able to keep that promise, but no more than five seconds after she wakes up, I almost kiss her! What was I thinking!_

His hurried step sent people hurtling out of the way, watching him as he passed, confused as to his apparent agitation. He hadn't really realized what precisely he was doing when he looked down at her, so soft and warm in his arms. He had looked at her then, so fragile, so lovely, and suddenly he had felt as though he should die if he did not kiss her.

He had reached the chambers of the other Magic Knights, and Umi and Fuu were soon rushing down the corridors, towards Clef's chambers and Hikaru. Lantis followed them.

_Stupid, stupid! She'll never love you, you can never tell her, leave it at that!_

But as he opened the door for the other two knights, walking in behind them and keeping his eyes averted from the bed where Umi and Fuu were crying over the smiling Hikaru, he suddenly realized what a terribly, terribly difficult task that would be.

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"Oh! Careful, there's a lot of rocks here!"

Fuu's comment floated over the few trees and bushes in the arbor. Umi sighed and put her hands on her hips, looking wearied.

"Fuu, you can't keep such a close watch on her! She can walk!"

A laugh trickled over to where the two other Magic Knights were turning to look at a weakly smiling Hikaru. She stood beside the largest tree in the small garden. Actually, she was leaning, for beside her on one side was Lafarga, and Ferio supported her other side. She chuckled lightly at the other two girls, but the distraction caused her to stumble slightly.

"Hikaru! Are you alright? What happened?"

Umi was by her side instantly, shoving Ferio out of the way. Both the Magic Knights would have given anything to be the only ones helping Hikaru recover, but the war demanded their attention. Debonair had launched another attack with her fear-strengthened creatures, and no one knew how long the palace would hold with the rapid crumbling of their world. But Ferio, who could not be risked for his status as Prince, and Lafarga, who could not do anything else anyway, had enlisted to do this small task in light of helping the Magic Knights with the larger one.

Umi, reassured as to Hikaru's wellbeing, finally backed off and allowed the affronted Prince to regain his place. Fuu chuckled at the water knight's overprotectivity, and Umi had to smile ruefully.

Hikaru had awoken almost twenty-four hours before. Since then, the others in the palace had gotten some rest, but both Umi and Fuu had been forced into battle at least once each. With the increasing frequency of attacks, it was clear that neither Magic Knight could be spared to take care of their companion, no matter how dear. Clef had had the least sleep, though Presea was on the verge of ordering him into bed. Lafarga, Caldina, Ascot, and Ferio had all rested to their heart's content, unable to do anything else. Lantis had hardly left Hikaru's side, though he made no move towards her and said nothing to anyone, including her. He was also not allowed out into battle at present, and so his presence near Hikaru's side had become almost second nature.

Up until a few moments ago, the magic swordsman had been settled into the tree, comfortably resting on a branch, seeming asleep except for his unwavering glare towards the convalescent knight. Now he had disappeared to who knows where, and Lafarga, for one, was feeling much safer with him gone.

"Hikaru, you shouldn't do so much so soon! Clef says that-"

Ferio snorted at Umi's comment.

"Celf says this, Clef says that! Let Hikaru breathe for a moment!"

The others laughed, and Hikaru chuckled with them, a small, pattering sound. She still had a broken leg and fractures along some of her ribs, but she could walk with help, and her mind was sound. But she seemed...sad, somehow. She had told them that somehow Nova had broken into her room on that night, and they had fought. Hikaru had, obviously, lost, but Nova was prevented from killing her by Lantis' timely arrival. For some reason, she always looked so false when she said this, but for the time being, it was enough that she was alive, and the others didn't press.

"Actually," she said, speaking up for the first time in several minutes, "I am feeling a little weak. Maybe we could rest for a bit…?"

The reaction to her comment was instantaneous. In moments, she was propped up with pillows and blankets, comfortable in a large chair, and with Umi offering to fluff her pillows and make her tea. Hikaru, a little startled by the speed with which Umi had gotten everything done, smiled happily and accepted the drink.

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"Oh, she's alive!"

Eagle flung his arms over his head, thanking his lucky stars singly and by name. Then weariness overcame jubilation, and in complete bewilderment of feeling he collapsed back onto his pallet. Lantis, watching his reaction voicelessly, simply waited for Eagle to recover himself.

After a moment, the Autozam commander spoke again, his voice shaky.

"When…when will she come see me?"

Lantis shook his head, implying that not only did he not know the answer, but that he wasn't sure he wanted to give it. Eagle let the implications fly by him in the utter relief of these moments. Hikaru was alive! She was breathing! She hadn't gone and gotten herself killed before…

And there Eagle froze again, preferring the safer ground of questions as to Hikaru's wellbeing, of which he had many and none would be answered swiftly. He had no desire to inform Lantis as to his recent upheaval of feeling for the wounded Magic Knight. But Lantis was talking again, and Eagle's attention returned to him.

"Eagle, I might…I think…I believe I need some assistance."

Eagle's eyes widened. Lantis, not only stuttering, but asking for help?!? The thought was absurd.

"Eagle…" Lantis took a breath. He had recognized his own feelings long before this, but actually articulating them was difficult. Eagle watched his once-friend expectantly.

"Eagle, I think I am…I believe I may be in-"

BOOM!

The explosion rocked the chamber. Lantis was on his feet in an instant, already drawing his lightning-like sword and running out of the room.

"Lantis!" Eagle called.

"I will speak with you later. I need to find out-" And the rest of his words were cut off as the swordsman of Cephiro rushed up the hallway to the source of the disturbance.

Eagle, his hand still outstretched where he had tried to hold his friend back, make Lantis tell him what was wrong, finally let his arm drop, defeated. He had almost gotten back to that close camaraderie that he and Lantis had had all those years on Autozam. It was not as though they had ever been blood-brothers, but at the very least they had trusted each other. Now, though…now it was different. Now they were fighting for opposite sides in a war that could mean life or death for any number of people.

But even as Eagle thought these things, another, more desperate shadow seized him. His lungs squeezed together as suddenly his sickness made itself known. Horrible, wracking coughs tore his throat as his lungs were ripped out of his chest. On and on they went, terrible things, dry and hacking. Minutes passed, interminable in the horrid pain of his illness. Blood spattered his hands as he tried to cover his mouth, to keep the wrenching coughs within his body, to keep from coughing his lungs out.

And finally, when he thought he could bear no more, the coughing eased, and the metal band 'round his chest loosened, and he could breathe.

Eagle collapsed onto his bed, weariness claiming his mind. He lay down on the hard pallet, his eyes drifting shut even as he moved, and unconsciousness, desperately needed after the excitement of the past few days, finally claimed him.

He dreamed.

It was the same as it had been. He was in a room filled with water, with a great door in one side of it and a pillar of light in the center of the room. The door led to somewhere he desperately wanted to be. However, he was unable to move, because he was chained to the floor. His chains were oddly colored, reminding one of the bright red of blood. He could just reach the light in the center of the room. He wanted to get to the light, and it was in his quest for the light that he had found this room. But during his quest, he knew he had found out about this glorious chamber, just beyond the great door, and now he could not help but wish to get to it.

He knew that from where he stood there was a choice: He could try to get to the door, and the light would disappear forever, or he could get to the light, and his chance to open the door would be gone. He desperately wanted the light, and the chains would be gone if he could get to it. But the longing for what was in the chamber was growing greater by the second, and he could hardly contain it. However, he knew that if he went to the chamber, the chains would drag him down into the water, and he would only be in the chamber for a moment.

So he stood there, unsure, unknowing, not even breathing in an attempt to somehow discover the right answer.

Then, suddenly, a large shadow appeared. First it seemed to hover over the light, guarding it somehow, and then it shifted over to the doorway, and Eagle felt it's anger burn against him. All because the commander wanted to go to the doorway. But the shadow was also light, on one side, and Eagle saw the light and realized how good it was. It only looked shadowed from his side of the chamber. So Eagle realized that if he fought his way to the chamber, and through the shadow, he would hurt this light, and that in turn would hurt him, and he did not want that.

But his desire for the thing in the chamber was growing stronger than ever, and soon Eagle feared that chains or no chains, shadow or no shadow, he would simply have to have whatever it was.

And just when he was about to move, for the light or the chamber, he didn't know…

He woke up.

He jerked up in the small pallet, staring around himself wildly for a moment before realizing his surroundings. Then he sat back, breathing hard, trying to resettle himself.

He knew what some of the things in his dream were: the light was the Pillar, the chains his illness. If he had the power of the Pillar, he could heal himself. But he did not know, did not want to know what the chamber represented, or what the shadow was.

And he could not bear to find out.


	9. Sparked Defiance

Hikaru grabbed onto the railing nearest her, holding on as her weakened legs tried to fall out from under her.

"Umi! Fuu!"

Clef's voice boomed through the hallway, magically amplified. The two Magic Knights looked up, their concern about the explosion and Hikaru written all over their faces. Clef's disembodied voice echoed about their heads.

"Clef! What is it?" Umi yelled, certain the mage could hear.

"It's another attack by Debonair! Hurry! The west wing!"

And then the voice cut off. The rocking and shaking ceased as Fuu looked back at her blue-haired friend. Umi nodded, and they both took off at a run, sparing one glance behind to see that Hikaru was alright.

Hikaru was standing in the hallway, getting her bearings back from the sudden attack. When she heard Clef's words, saw her friends running off, her first reaction was to run after them, and fight.

But when she reached for her sword, a hand grabbed her arm, ceasing its momentum.

"Hikaru…"

It was Lafarga. For a moment, Hikaru stared at him, stubborn. And then her hands relaxed, and she let herself be helped back to her chambers, her face sad.

Caldina was waiting at her door. Lafarga handed the Magic Knight over to her with a look of warning before rushing off towards the battle. Caldina gently took Hikaru's arm, leading her into the room and helping her change into a nightdress.

"Hikaru…" Her voice echoed her sadness. Hikaru looked up at the worried face of the illusionist. For a moment, Caldina glimpsed a hint of what Hikaru was feeling. And then a smile was pasted over her features, and whatever it was Caldina had seen, disappeared.

"It's alright, Caldina. I know I need to rest. But watch over Umi and Fuu, alright?"

Caldina nodded worriedly, and made sure Hikaru was comfortable in her own bed before hesitantly leaving.

The whole time Caldina was there, Hikaru kept her cheery smile up. But when the other was gone, Hikaru's face relaxed into a frown. She felt so useless! She couldn't fight, she couldn't help, she couldn't even walk on her own. Yet she knew, more than the others believed, that she could not yet fight. She was, in a deep corner of her mind, glad that Lafarga had stopped her from drawing her sword.

Because she was very, very scared….

That she would not have been able to.

For several minutes Hikaru lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind carefully blank. Then she gave a sigh, not too deep because of her damaged ribs, and closed her eyes, willing her mind into dreamless sleep.

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Sleep would not come.

She shifted and turned as much as she could, but no position seemed comfortable enough. She knew that whatever fight had happened, the Magic Knights had won, for there was no more crashes and she was still alive.

Yet Hikaru could not rest.

Her whole body seemed wearied, tired beyond belief; yet her mind was restless, yearning for something.

And then there was that nagging feeling that something important was about to happen. A feeling that she couldn't shake.

So she lay there, restless and exhausted, as minute after minute crawled by, and the wind whistled around her windows in a discordant harmony to the melody of her thoughts, until the darkened moon was low in the sky, and sleep finally claimed her.

_**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**_

"Sapphire whirlwind!" The cry echoed in the chamber amid the screams of the strange creatures as Umi loosed her magic on the most recent beast. The monster she was aiming for dodged her attack, and another creature used the Water Knight's preoccupation to launch an attack of it's own.

Umi saw it, too late, and fear blanched her face as she tried, far too slowly, to dodge.

"Emerald storm!" The rushing winds sliced through the attacker, dissolving it.

Umi smiled over at her friend. "Thank you, Fuu."

The girl in question smiled back, face calm. But then the other creatures claimed their attention, and soon they were engaged in battle again.

"Fuu! Watch out!" And the creature who had suddenly launched an attack on Fuu was suddenly cut in two, dissolving as it screeched. Ferio, landing from his attack, ran to the fallen Knight, trying to bring her back to her senses. But another monster attacked him, and he was forced to stand and fend it off. On the other side of the chamber, Caldina was aiding Lafarga as they both bent their formidable skills on the creatures still trying to emerge from the fear-portal. Two of Ascot's friends were plowing their way through the horde that still crowed the large chamber.

"It's not enough! They're still comin'!" Caldina cried, fending off another creature with her bare hands. A claw slipped through her guard, and a moment later she was skidding across the floor, slamming up against the wall, unconscious.

"Caldina!" Lafarga cried, trying to run to her while still blocking all the things attacking him. Ascot tried to dash to his surrogate mother, but another blow from a creature that got past Ascot's creature-friends caused him to cry out and fall.

"Ice Blade!"

Umi's magic screeched across the room, disintegrating the creature that was advancing on the Summoner. Ascot looked at her, flashing her a grateful smile. Umi felt something in her heart twitch, and then still. Not now! I'm busy!

"It's too much! We can't take them all!" Ferio's words were filled with the desperation of someone who feels defeat all too near.

"Thunder Strike!"

Suddenly a blaze of energy flashed across the room, blinding everyone in it. The creatures it struck cried out and vanished in a puff of black, noxious smoke. The embattled fighters looked up, saw the figure standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shining of his sword.

"Lantis!" Ascot cried, voicing their astonishment. They had all known Lantis was a fighter, but they had never before really seen his magic. The power in it was evident, and rather surprising.

"They're still coming through!" Lafarga warned.

"Lightning Inferno!" The new voice shot across the room with the renewed onslaught, and suddenly more of the creatures were screaming and disappearing.

"Clef!" Umi called gratefully.

The Master Mage stepped into the room, Presea beside him.

"Quickly! Close the portal!" Umi jumped to obey the Mage, but when she tried to summon her magic, she found herself unable.

"Clef! I can't! My magic…it won't come!" Clef ran towards her, the desperation in Umi's voice serving to make him move past his own weariness. As he ran, however, another fearsome claw began to emerge from the portal, slashing down towards Presea and the Master Mage.

"Green Gale!" The words summoned a magic as strong as that which Umi had earlier used, serving to fully dissolve not only the creature, but the portal itself. Heads turned, and saw Fuu on one elbow, her hand lowering from its casting. She smiled cheerily at them all, looking towards Umi.

"Umi-san, you have a new spell."

Umi, recovering from her initial astonishment, smiled back, relief and a sister's love written on her face, though her words were simple.

"So do you, Fuu."

"I learned mine on the ship from Fahren." Umi smiled again. But then she turned her attention to the others, making sure none were wounded badly. Fuu, however, turned instead to the silent figure still in the doorway. For a moment, their eyes met, and Lantis saw a level of understanding there that he would never have dreamed possible. And then Ferio was there, hovering over Fuu, needing to be reassured of her good health. Lantis hesitated for a moment, wondering about what he had glimpsed, and then turned with a swish of his cloak.

_**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**_

_Hikaru…_

"No! No, let me free!"

_I am….I am…_

"Stop it! It's not true! It's not true!"

_Hikaru…Hikaru…_

"No! Stop it! STOP IT!"

_Hikaru…_

"Hikaru! Hikaru!"

Hikaru's red eyes snapped open, staring at the concerned face bent over her.

"Lantis…"

Lantis sat back with a sigh. He had not intended to go to Hikaru's room, not at all. But when he had left the battle scene, his footsteps had led him to her door. Now, however, he was glad that his feet had a mind of their own. When he had stopped, he had heard Hikaru's muffled cries for help. He rushed in, and now Hikaru was staring at him wonderingly.

"Lantis…?"

He looked at her, unable to stop himself from staring slightly.

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?"

Lantis paused a moment before answering.

"I heard you crying out in your sleep. I came to wake you."

"Umi…Fuu…Are they alright?"

Lantis nodded, allowing the faintest hint of a smile to appear on his otherwise solemn face. As always, her first thought was for her friends. Hikaru sighed in relief and turned her head away from him.

Lantis held back a gasp. The force of feeling that resulted from the simple fact that he could no longer look at her firey eyes astonished even him. He began to have a feeling that something would have to break, and soon. But right now, he had more immediate concerns on his mind.

"Hikaru…" he started, then paused.

"Yes?"

Lantis took a faint breath. "What were you dreaming about?"

Turned away from him, face hidden by shadow, a tear slipped down Hikaru's cheek. She didn't answer. Lantis waited a moment, and then stood.

"I must go."

He turned, tried to walk away, but a feather-light touch on his hand stopped him.

"Please…" Hikaru's voice was weak, the words sounding faint, "don't go."

Lantis looked at her for a moment, his thoughts unreadable on his face. Then a strange expression flashed through his eyes, and he sat. Hikaru stared at him for a moment, then began.

"I didn't know how to tell the others this. I don't know…I think Clef knows, but he hasn't talked to me much…maybe." Lantis' eyebrows quirked oddly as he listened to Hikaru disjointed speech. Hikaru stopped, breathed deeply, and then saw Lantis' face. Her own broke out into a smile. It was weak, to be sure, but it was there.

It was enough to take his breath away.

"I'm sorry," Hikaru said, her laugh changed to a raspy, tapping sound so that she would not hurt her ribs, "Let me try again."

Lantis sat forward in his chair, intent. "Hikaru, what happened that night?"

Hikaru's face turned back into the solemn, quiet look that he had become too familiar with the last few weeks.

"It was…Nova." She said the word like it pained her.

"Nova? The pink-haired girl?"

Hikaru nodded. "She has been saying things to me…things I didn't understand. But now…" She trailed off. Lantis clenched his fists, waiting, impatient, and almost afraid.

"She told me about Umi and Fuu…and Ferio and Clef…and about…" Suddenly she looked away, blushing. After a minute, without looking back, she said,

"Please, help me sit."

Lantis leaned forward and put his hands behind her back, lifting her gently so as not to damage her. Hikaru smiled sadly at him once he was finished, and the pain in it broke his heart.

"Thank you." She smiled a little brighter. "Anyway, she broke into my room that night. She and I fought for a while, like I told the others, and I was doing well." She stared at the darkness of her room, lost in her own thoughts. "After a while, I thought I was finally going to win. And then…" Even the harsh howl of the wind seemed hushed as Hikaru paused.

_Hikaru_!

"And then…she told me who she was."

Lantis blinked, taken aback. But Hikaru was not finished.

_I know you, Hikaru!_

"She told me that I…"

I know what you think about them, about the others!

"That she was…

_Hikaru_!

"Me."

The word echoed and died in the silence. Hikaru's breath came harsh and rough in the utter silence. She would not look at Lantis, lost in the memory of that revelation. Lantis himself was to stunned to do anything but blink. So that's why she and Hikaru…that explains the feeling that they are…she…oh…

Then words began to echo through his head, a vague remembrance of Clef's voice telling him why those of strong will were as dangerous as they were helpful.

"They call it a 'shadow of the heart'. When someone with a strong will is forced to do something against their nature, the shadow is created. It is a part, separate but connected, of the person's heart, and so is most deadly, because it cannot be killed without killing a part of the original person's heart. The shadow can be made from any number of feelings, including love, fear, and most often, hate. For example, if Princess Emeraude was forced to kill one of her subjects, that part of her heart that hated herself for killing someone would separate and become a shadow…"

Except that it is not Emeraude who made the shadow…Lantis thought grimly. He turned his attention back to Hikaru, face solemn. But then he saw the pain, the hurt on her face as she was remembering that awful fight.

"After that… I was knocked unconscious, and you found me." She refrained from mentioning the last thing Nova had told her. Now was not the time to tell him that. Once again she turned from Lantis, hiding her face in the shadows of her darkened room. She would not look at him, would not respond. But in the silence and shadow night, he saw the glint of light off of her face, the shimmer of brightness that came from the tears that were forcing their way out from her unwilling heart.

"Hikaru…" he said softly, pleading. She turned her tear-swept face towards him, pain and terrible grief on her elfin features. She let out a wrenching sob, and threw herself forward, into his arms.

"Me! It was me! I hated myself that moment…I couldn't let myself kill her! So now my own heart…my own self…I am killing them, Lantis!" Her words were broken, confused, ripped out of her between tearing sobs.

"Shh…shh…it's alright, Hikaru…shh…quiet now…it's alright….Hikaru…" Lantis wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back in soothing motions, whispering into her ear softness, calming her. Her sobs filled the air, pain and confusion and a myriad of other emotions encased within them.

"Shh….it's alright, Hikaru…Hikaru…"

Finally, her crying slowed, became silent, and she loosened her grip on Lantis. Then, as the darkness settled more firmly over the night, her breathing slowed, steadied, and Lantis knew she slept.

He did not know how long he sat there, uncomfortable in his half crouched, half straight position; bent over Hikaru. At one point, he shifted slightly, moving so that he was halfway reclined on the bed, with Hikaru cradled like a baby in his arms. She let out a slight whimper and moved closer to him, her face relaxing into a semblance of peace.

He looked down at her then, so soft and fragile in his arms, and thoughts raced through his head, thoughts he could not contain. Thoughts of his love for Hikaru, dreams of her loving him back. And suddenly, he thought of her leaving, of her finally going back to her homeworld.

It had never occurred to him, when he had decided to simply watch from a distance, that Hikaru might not always be around to be watched. She had been there nearly since the beginning, and it had not occurred to him that she would ever be anywhere else. Yet the Magic Knights, by their very nature, were from another world. What would happen when they went back? When this was finally over?

He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms.

"Oh, Hikaru…"

And in that moment, as thoughts of the future and worries about tomorrow clouded his vision, he suddenly blinked, and realized that whatever happened, however things turned out, he would always love Hikaru.

Always.

He was absolutely helpless: he could not change a thing. Whether or not she could ever consciously know he loved her, he would. He could do no other. His heart, disregarding the counsel of his brain, had overrun his common sense and chosen, above all others, Hikaru.

And that was what, right now, with Hikaru lying in his arms, was truly important.

"Hikaru…" he whispered.

He leaned down towards Hikaru, her face soft and restful, and in the silence of that moment, he gently pressed his lips to hers, a silent acknowledgement of his one and only unalterable truth.

"I love you."

And then he leaned back on the bed, eyes drifting shut in the calm that surrounded them, and wished for eternity.

_**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**_

"Lantis."

Lantis jerked a little and sat up, blinking hard.

"Yes?" he responded quickly.

Hikaru was lying next to him, face quiet and solemn. Sometime during the night she must have woken and moved, probably because her ribs were hurting her. He realized their position, suddenly, and was glad that he had sat up the instant he awoke. He wouldn't have been able to control the blush that was threatening his pale cheeks had he woken to find himself lying beside her.

"Will you please help me up? I need to go somewhere."

For a moment, Lantis considered refusing, making her stay here and rest.

"Yes. But you are not walking." He replied.

Lifting her gently from her bed, he cradled her in his arms, his face blank.

"I can walk," she protested weakly, a faint blush lighting her cheeks.

"No, you can't." he stated as he crossed the room, "but you will have the opportunity to relearn at some point in the future."

She wiggled around for a moment, then gave up. She was tired, and Lantis was stubborn, and there was really nothing she could do about it. She leaned back and tentatively wrapped her arms around his neck, praying no one would see them.

"Where do you need to go?"

"Oh, I need to talk to Eagle. He's probably worried about me."

There was a slight skip in Lantis' step, but then his face cleared and he walked on. Hikaru looked up at his solemn face.

"Lantis…" she queried, "where did you meet Eagle?"

Lantis walked on, not looking down. "In my travels, I went to Autozam. I participated in a tournament, and Eagle was my last opponent."

Hikaru's brow quirked. Her voice was tired, young, wondering. "Did you win?"

The faintest of smiles touched his face. "Yes."

_**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**_

The footsteps resounded through Eagle's head, breaking through the dream and bringing him to consciousness.

_Lantis…_? He wondered.

And then the doors at the top of the hall opened, and whomever it was started descending.

Eagle saw the black cloak and clothing as it came into view. It was Lantis, but he was walking strangely. Then, as Lantis came further into view, Eagle realized why.

"Hikaru!" He exclaimed, surprised, delighted, worried, and confused all in the same moment. Hikaru smiled at him from over Lantis' hand.

"Eagle! I told you I'd visit you again!"

Eagle smiled and stood from his pallet, waiting as Lantis entered the barrier with his passenger. He cocked his head in that familiar motion, the same happy, strange smile lighting his face. Cautiously, Lantis set his burden down, holding on to Hikaru until she was standing firmly on her own two feet. Eagle smiled at them both.

Lantis watched him for a moment, then said, "I need to visit the residential area. I will return." Then he gave Eagle a hard look, turned, and swept out of the chamber.

For a moment, Hikaru and Eagle stared at each other, smiling. Then Hikaru tried to walk forward.

"Oh!" Her legs began to shake beneath her, and she stumbled, beginning to topple. Suddenly arms surrounded her, breaking her fall.

"Got you!" Eagle crowed. He lifted her much as Lantis had done, carrying her to his pallet.

"I guess I really can't walk." Hikaru said weakly, smiling shakily. Eagle grinned and laid her on his pallet, half in a sitting position. Then he looked around for a chair for himself, scanning the small area that had become so familiar to him.

"Oh! I forgot! I don't have that stool any longer!" He grinned as he said it. Hikaru blushed and patted the bed.

"Please, sit…?"

Eagle's grin didn't falter as he plopped himself down beside Hikaru.

"Well, that was close!" He said, smiling. Hikaru smiled back at him, and Eagle let out a chuckle, Hikaru joining him with tapping giggles.

After a short time, their amusement subsided. Eagle's eyes had not left her face, and Hikaru swallowed uncomfortably under his scrutiny. Eagle finally broke the silence.

"So, why did you come down here? I can tell you have something to tell me."

Hikaru nodded, glad that he had stopped staring at her. But then her face became solemn, her eyes weary.

"Yes, I have something to tell you…"

She told him the same thing she had told Lantis, the telling easier the second time. But when she finished, the same terrible silence followed. Eagle had listened silently through the telling, but once she fell silent, he turned a little away from her, looking at the black walls outside his cell.

"Eagle…" She said, half-pleading. He looked back at her, face closed, eyes revealing nothing.

"What are you going to do about it?"

Hikaru caught his eye, determination burning bright within her.

"I am going to stop her."


	10. Claiming a False Dawn

"We have to stop her."

Lafarga spoke with the absolute certainty that characterized his whole being. Around the large table, heads nodded and murmurs agreed.

"Our present crisis, however, is the weakening of the castles defense." Clef was reclined in his chair and very wan, but his voice was strong. Again, the others agreed.

"But…we've tried everything to find Lady Debonair, with no success." Ascot's words were followed with wrinkled brows and something like consternation.

Clef looked up.

"But… we must."

The rest of the council did not respond. They were all seated around a larger version of the table Clef had summoned for the earlier council, the one which was interrupted by Lantis. Now, the council had nearly doubled in size, all those who had any importance at all gathered there. Ascot was seated on one side of the table, with three chairs on each side and one at each end. Lafarga had, near the beginning of the council, run out of patience, and now he was pacing up and down the length of the table. Caldina had not arrived. Ferio was seated at Clef's right elbow, the Mage himself at the head of the table. Presea, at his other side, looked tired and worried, but she smiled at them all. Two others occupied the last seats on the sides.

"Perhaps…." A quiet voice spoke from beside Ferio's chair.

"What is it, Fuu?"

The Magic Knight of Wind looked up, face contemplative.

"Perhaps we simply have been using the wrong tactics."

Heads cocked and eyebrows quirked as, around the table, questioning glances were aimed at Fuu.

"That's right! We shouldn't attack head on. We should use a trap!"

Now the eyebrows and foreheads were angled towards Umi, who was sitting beside Ascot on the opposite side of the table from Fuu. Umi smiled at them, and gave Fuu a thumbs up.

Clef frowned. It had been a hasty decision, and perhaps not a very good one, to allow the two Magic Knights into the council. With Hikaru's continuing ill health, no one would even think of letting her go out and fight. But Clef had thought that perhaps Umi and Fuu would feel not quite as useless as Hikaru did at the moment if they were allowed to be present. Now, however, he wasn't sure he liked how smart they both were.

"A trap?"

"Yes! We should put someone with strong will out as bait!" Umi nodded firmly.

Heads nodded.

"But what bait could we use? Though it is obvious she's after the strong-willed, and none of us could really be spared." Presea spoke quietly, questioning.

"I will go." Lafarga stopped pacing, sitting in his chair and then staring at them with his customary intensity. But heads were shaking around the table already.

"No, Lafarga, other than Lantis you are the only real – "

"Oh. Lafarga, ya ninny! Ya can't go 'cause I won't let you!"

Caldina came dancing into the room, skipping over to Lafarga and plopping herself down on his lap. She pecked him on the cheek, smiling at his surprised expression.

"After all, ya can't go and get killed; then I won't have a groom on my wedding day!"

Around the table, gasps were heard. A moment of silence, then, while Caldina smiled cheerily at them all, then a cacophony of questions, congratulations, and well-wishes exploded. Lafarga blushed faintly, but Caldina simply nodded and smiled.

After a short time, however, Clef called them back to order, and they got back to answering the important question.

"Well, I guess that rules out Lafarga, Caldina…" Ferio glanced at Caldina, looking for something. The pink-haired illusionist gave a sharp shake of her head. Ferio nodded. "…and Ascot."

"So what are we going to do?" Umi's exasperated question went unanswered.

Finally, Clef spoke up. "Our real problem right now is Nova."

The others nodded.

"However…"

Everyone looked at Fuu. She was staring at her lap, hands folded.

"I do not believe it is right for us, or anyone, to fight her yet. After all, we do not know why she wishes to fight us or what her reasons are. I swore when I came back to Cephiro that this time I would fight with no regrets." Fuu raised her head to stare defiantly at the others. "I will not fight Nova without knowing who she is and what she wants. No matter what she has already done." Everyone glanced unconsciously at the last chair of the council, still distinctly vacant.

Umi nodded. "I was so sad, last time, knowing that I had killed both Zagato and Princess Emeraude without knowing why we had been summoned. It hurt my heart…" She put her hand over her chest, her eyes sad. Ascot glanced over at her, his own face mirroring the water Knight's sadness. Umi looked back up, determination back in her face. "So unless I can talk to Nova, I will not fight her."

Caldina sighed noisily. "But, Umi, no one even knows who Nova is!"

"I do."

The words echoed and faded around the chamber, and everyone looked to see who this newcomer was.

Presea gasped. "Hikaru!"

Hikaru stepped out into the light, Lantis at her shoulder.

And then Eagle stepped into the room.

Instantly, half the council was on its feet.

Hikaru held out her hands, placating them.

"No, no! Eagle has agreed to fight with us!"

Though this kept the swords from being drawn, the tension was still thick in the air. Eagle glanced at those gathered and then smiled his habitual, strange smile.

The council, to a person, frowned.

Hikaru, face set, stepped forward, but her legs gave out from under her and she began to collapse. Instantly, Eagle swept her up into his arms. At this, however, those who had begun to settle down were back on their feet again, swords drawn.

"Put her down!" Shouted Lafarga, his huge broadsword at the ready. But Hikaru was already talking.

"No! He's trying to help! Please, let me explain!"

Slowly, ever so slowly, the others of the council resheathed their weapons. Lafarga, however, simply stood there, unmoving. Caldina touched his arm.

"Lafarga…" she said quietly. Lafarga's frown deepened, but then a moment later he let out a humph and sheathed his sword, carefully sitting in his vacated seat. Eagle then set out across the chamber, reaching the empty chair at the far end of the table. The one that had been placed there for Hikaru before the others realized she would not be there. He set her carefully in the chair, backing away to stand by her side. Lantis walked up on the other side, quiet and immovable.

Everyone waited.

"I am Eagle Vision of Autozam." When Eagle spoke, every eye except Hikaru's and Lantis' was turned on him. "I came to Cephiro to obtain the Pillar System that would grant my people the mental power that we need to survive. I broke into the castle to get into the Crown Room so that I might test whether I am worthy or not to be the Pillar. That is why I am here."

"But both Eagle and I survived the test of the Crown Room." Hikaru interjected. "Eagle has agreed to certain terms if he should become the Pillar. And I have agreed to others should I be the next Pillar."

Gasps erupted from around the table. Most were in astonishment. Their Hikaru, the Pillar of Cephiro?

"Eagle has agreed," Hikaru continued, stoic, "that should he become the Pillar he will stay in Cephiro and rule as best he can for the good of Cephiro."

No one spoke.

"And I…I have agreed to allow Autozam engineers to study the Pillar System so that they may gather data and perhaps find another way to get the energy they need." She concluded. The others stared at her, unable to understand what she was saying. Finally, Presea spoke.

"But…But what about Debonair?"

Hikaru glanced at Eagle before answering. "We have agreed that neither of us can become Pillar before we defeat the mutual threat of Debonair. So Eagle has agreed to use his FTO to fight Debonair."

Everyone was silent. There didn't seem to be anything wrong, and certainly Eagle had given a very good reason for his invasion. But Umi and Fuu realized that Hikaru had something else to tell them.

"Hikaru…" Umi said softly, "you said you knew about Nova."

Hikaru met her foster-sister's eyes for just a second, and then looked away. "

"Yes." She said shortly.

"Please, Hikaru-san, we need to know before we fight."

Hikaru nodded unhappily. She glanced, strangely, at Lantis just before she began. Then she took a deep breath and said,

"I am Nova."

Utter silence. The statement was so ludicrous, so impossible, no one knew how to respond. And yet…it seemed so right.

"But…but Hikaru…" stuttered Presea, "How can that be?"

Hikaru eyes were shadowed when she answered. "Nova is the shadow of my heart."

Everyone but Umi and Fuu gasped. Umi glanced at Clef, searching for an answer. Clef was silent for a moment, then spoke.

"A shadow is a part of someone's heart who has strong will. It is an imprint of themselves. However, if the shadow is created by hate, all it will know is hate. And so…I suppose she was created when you killed Princess Emeraude?" He looked to Hikaru to answer. She nodded. Everyone was silent a moment, then Hikaru spoke again.

"I am the only one who can defeat Nova. I must fight her."

Instantly, everyone was on their feet, yelling, soothing, talking, reasoning. Eventually, Umi screamed over the rush, "HIKARU IS STAYING IN BED! AND THAT IS FINAL!" And then they settled down. Hikaru looked surprised at the vehemence in their actions, but then let out a stout and unwavering stand that she would too go and fight, and they could not stop her.

Of course, what followed was a long, tedious battle that ended with Umi trying to force Clef to magick Hikaru back to her bed and lock her door.

Presea was the one who finally brought things to order.

"Hikaru," she said gently, "We don't want you to fight only because we care about you. If you would just wait until you're healed-"

"But by then Cephiro could…Cephiro…" her protest trailed off, her eyes on the verge of tears. Presea nodded understandingly.

"But, please, Hikaru, at least another day? Then go." Umi protested, but Hikaru looked solemn. Finally she said,

"Lantis, Eagle…could you help me back to my room?"

The two men nodded, and slowly Hikaru was half-carried, and half-limped, out of the hall. The others watched her go with something resembling caution, but when she was gone they all relaxed.

"So…." Umi said eventually, "What is going to happen from now….Is that me and Fuu will go out and fight Debonair. Even without Hikaru, we have new magic and I am sure we can win."

She smiled confidently as she said this, and Fuu nodded with her. Most everyone looked like they would like to refute this statement, but the recent argument had sapped their strength, and no one knew what else to say.


	11. Firelight

"You will be careful?"

Fuu smiled and nodded.

"Of course. I will have Umi-san with me, and together we will do everything we can."

Around her, all of their friends had gathered, wishing them luck and cautioning them ruthlessly.

"And come back safe, ya hear? I need bridesmaids, and I don't wanna hafta find new ones."

Umi laughed at Caldina's statement. "All right, all right! But we need to go now. Fuu?"

Fuu nodded, but then paused. "Actually, Umi-san, I need to retrieve something from my chambers. Prince Ferio, I would request your help. Umi-san, if you would be so good as to wait here…?"

Her eyes caught Umi's for a split second, and a silent understanding passed between them. "Of course. And I need to ask the Master Mage something about my magic, so would the rest of you please disperse!?!"

Muttering and laughing, the crowd around the two Magic Knights did disperse, leaving one green haired prince, one Master Mage, and two Magic Knights. As he left, Ascot cast a fleeting glance behind him, but Umi wasn't looking, and she missed whatever it was he had wanted to tell her.

Fuu was left standing behind the Prince. He turned back to her and smiled strangely, offering his arm.

"Shall we?"

Fuu, wondering, took the proffered hand and followed the Prince down the chamber, leaving Clef and Umi standing alone.

Clef watched Fuu's retreating back, smiling sadly, then brightened his expression and turned to Umi.

"You had a question...?"

Umi nodded and, oddly, blushed deeply. "Yes."

An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Umi…?" Clef ventured.

Umi's blush deepened. "Um…Actually…I wanted to tell you something."

Clef smiled gently. "Yes, Umi?"

She looked down at her hands, her blush still staining her cheeks and her fingers twiddling nervously.

"Um…"

She shifted from foot to foot, nervous, undecided. Then, suddenly, she shut her eyes tightly and gritted her teeth.

"I love you!" she shouted.

Silence.

Umi refused to look up, her face hidden by the waterfall of hair that flowed over it. She ventured a glance at Clef.

He was staring, eyes wide in shock. His face was still, petrified in surprise. Umi ducked her head again. She had never imagined it like this. She had thought that her proclamation would bring about a joyous reunion that had, even in her dreams, set her heart thrumming. But now…

Suddenly, Clef blinked, seeming to come back into himself. He blinked a few more times, clearing his head. Then he looked at Umi, and his face softened.

"Umi."

"I'm sorry!" she cried, head still bowed, "I know I shouldn't, but every time I tell myself that, I just…I can't…I'm sorry!"

Clef smiled softly. "Umi."

She looked up then, and a flicker of hope shone in her heart and on her face. But there was something sad and silent about his smile that made her hope a fragile birth at best.

"Umi…" he started, then paused, thinking. After a moment, he took a breath and started again. "Umi, you don't love me."

Now it was Umi's turn to stare in shock. Didn't love him? Of all the things she had expected him to say, that was the one she had never thought of. How could he say that? But Clef was continuing.

"Umi, think about it. When you first came to Cephiro, you were lost and confused. You didn't want to believe in anything here. But then you saw me. And because you were so lost, you latched on to the first thing you found that made even a little sense: Me. So you had an anchor in this confusing world. However…" as he paused, Umi's eyes deepened, as though every word he spoke was a revelation, "Week after week passed, but things still didn't always make sense. You came from a world where everything is clear to you. It is clear because the people in it who make it clear are those you love the most: your parents. So you have associated the feeling of security with the feeling of love."

Umi's eyes were wide, astonished, but comprehension was slowing dawning.

"Do you see? You don't love me; you simply don't know what else to call this feeling inside of you." He spoke with a feeling of finality and, oddly, assurance.

Umi stared at him in silence. He spoke once more, gentle and kind.

"Do you see?"

Haltingly, Umi nodded. Perhaps he was right. She had never been in love before, and only recently had she decided that this warm feeling had to be love. Maybe she had been confused. But then…

"Clef…"

He looked up at her.

"Just after I escaped the Chizeta fortress, I spoke to Celes."

Clef nodded.

"He told me that he had been able to help me escape because he was much stronger now than he had been."

Again, Clef nodded.

"But when I asked him how that could be, he said he grew stronger as my heart grew stronger. And then…"

She paused, a faint blush back on her cheeks. Clef watched her curiously. "And then what, Umi?"

Her blush deepened. "And then he told me that his new strength flowed from new love."

Clef nodded. "Yes, I thought so. Umi, you are in love. There is no other way for your heart to grow except by love. However, you confused that feeling with the one you thought was love for me." Clef nodded definitively.

"But…but who else could I possibly be in love with?"

Clef shook his head. "That is for your heart to tell you when you are ready to hear it. Now, I think you should prepare for this battle. How can I help?"

And so they stopped talking of love, and began to speak of earthly things again, and the time grew frighteningly near when both she and the Magic Knight of Wind would have to face down an enemy at half their strength.

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Fuu walked along the corridor beside the prince, but her head was down, her hands folded. Ferio would glance at her from time to time, once even taking a breath to speak, but decided against it, and they continued their journey in silence 'til they reached Fuu's chambers.

At the door, Ferio stopped. Fuu continued on a few steps, then realized she was alone. She turned around. Ferio was standing, fists clenched and eyes down, a little behind her.

"Fuu…" he said through clenched teeth.

The surprise faded from Fuu's eyes, changing to deep sadness. "Ferio…"

"I don't want you to go, Fuu!" Ferio cried, stepping forward and placing his hands on her shoulders. "You haven't been here long enough…" Hands still on her shoulders, Ferio's head bowed, the tears he had been trying to hold back finally breaking through.

"I love you."

Fuu jerked back in surprise. However often she had realized this, it was a unexpected shock to hear it from his lips, put in such a simple, undiluted form. Then shock faded, and she stepped forward, sliding further into the Prince's embrace, a peaceful smile touching her lips.

"I love you, too."

Now it was Ferio's turn to be astonished. He pulled back, looking down at the sweetly smiling face of his beloved Magic Knight.

"Really? I mean-…Do you-…Really?"

Fuu nodded, then giggled.

"What? What?" Ferio questioned.

"Your face, Prince Ferio…" She giggled a little again, covering her mouth with a hand that did not quite hide her smile.

Ferio let out a huff of laughter, but then he looked down at his precious Fuu, and his eyes softened. He loved to see her like this: smiling, happy in his arms. Especially in his arms. When she had left the first time, Ferio had thought he would never smile again. Now, with her smile and her laughter, he thought he would never stop smiling. If she left again…

"Fuu…" he stepped away from her, serious again, "How long are you going to stay in Cephiro?"

Fuu's face turned solemn. Instantly, Ferio hated himself for making her lose her smile; but he had to know.

"I don't know. Last time we disappeared just after we…" She paused, sadness and regret in her voice. Ferio frowned, but then Fuu pasted a smile over her face and looked up at him.

"Why do you ask, Prince Ferio?"

Ferio blushed faintly, then shook his head and cleared his throat. He stared at Fuu for a moment, something solemn and serious in his eyes. Fuu waited patiently.

Suddenly, Ferio bent on one knee before Fuu, reaching out to grab her right hand.

"Oh!" Fuu's left hand flew up to her chest in a familiar motion. Ferio looked up into her face.

"Houoji Fuu, will you please accept this ring as a pledge of marriage?"

Fuu's left hand flew up over her mouth. Her eyes were wide and frozen in shock.

Did he-…did he just…propose!?!

Then her sense came back to her, and she lowered her hand from her lips, silent. She opened her mouth to speak, when suddenly she paused and looked down at the man who still held captive her hand. Ferio's eyes were wide, the first hints of perspiration gathering at his temples. His other hand, wrapped around something small, was shaking badly. He looked as though he was about to pass out. She giggled.  
The shaking simply grew more pronounced. Fuu smiled again and finally spoke.

"Yes."

"YES!" Ferio whooped, leaping up and jumping in the air in his jubilation. Then he came down to earth and captured Fuu in his arms, pulling her into their first kiss.

After a long time, he finally pulled back, smiling so big he seemed he would split his face in two. Fuu was smiling too, though a blush was creeping up her cheeks.

"Prince Ferio…"

"Ah-ah-ah! I've told you again and again, it's just Ferio." Eyes twinkling mischievously, he placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. But then his eyes grew soft again, and he leaned down slightly, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.

"Ferio…" Fuu said as they parted. The gold-eyed prince looked down at her and smiled.

"Yes?"

Fuu did not smile back.

"Ferio, I do not know how long we will be allowed to stay. When this battle is over, if we win-"

"No!" Ferio interrupted harshly, "don't say that. You will win."

Fuu didn't respond. After a moment, she sighed and continued. "Our presence here may only be necessary when Cephiro is in grave danger. Once Debonair is defeated, I-…we can't tell how long we will have before we will be sent back home."

Ferio smiled. "That's alright. As long as you're here, I'll be right beside you."

But Fuu shook her head impatiently. "No! It's not alright. When we leave, everyone will be sad." She looked down, her hands held in front of her chest in a familiar motion. Ferio saw the gesture, and instantly he placed a gentle hand under her chin, lifting her face towards him. Fuu refused to look at him.

"Fuu…don't worry, I'll be fine." He said softly.

But she jerked away angrily, tears finally spilling down her face. "No! That's a lie! You won't be alright! And it's not just you, either…" she trailed off, tears running unchecked down her cheeks.

Ferio laid a gentle hand on her cheek. Fuu looked up at him through blurry eyes, sadness, fear, and pain on her face. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, softly wiping the tears away. Fuu's hands clenched in front of her chest. Why? Why does he have to be so perfect? So sweet? Her tear-blinded eyes caught his, her heart written on her face.

"I don't think I can leave you again…"

For a second, the same inescapable sadness flitted across Ferio's face, but then he was gathering her to him, pulling her inside the warm safety of his loving embrace. She sobbed quietly into his chest, letting all the fear and anxiety of the past months out, accepting his love in return. Ferio placed a gloved hand on her hair, gently stroking, soothing.

"Fuu….Fuu, it's all right….shh, my Knight, my zephyr…" Fuu's sobbing eased under the relentless, peaceful presence of her love. Ferio kept talking, nonsense and nothings into her ear until she quieted. Then he looked down at her.

"Fuu, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you and I never see each other again."

Fuu looked up. Ferio stepped back a little, put his hands on her shoulders, and locked gazes with the Magic Knight of Wind, imparting his heart into her.

"Fuu, you are the one for me. You are perfect, beautiful, amazing…Ah! I can't even express how wonderful you are to me." He smiled a little at his own ineptitude. "So it doesn't matter if I never see you, or you never see me. Because I am telling you, right here, in this dark hallway, that no matter if a thousand ladies fall at my feet, you are the one I love. You always will be. I think I can live with just that." He smiled at her as he finished. Fuu watched his eyes, blinking back more tears, then gave a shaky smile of her own.

"I love you, Ferio."

Ferio grinned. "I love you too, my own Magic Knight of Wind…Houoji Fuu."

Then he leaned down to capture her lips again, and with that kiss seal a forever truth within their hearts: He was hers, she was his.

And that was all the truth they needed.

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It was less than half an hour later that a great rumbling was heard, and moments later two great machines shot out over the ledge of the castle, heading towards the last place they had heard Debonair. Near the place they had departed, a crowd of people stood waving, some with tears in their eyes. Two had found their world, and now only lacked the time to live in it. Two had made their world with all, and now were losing a dear part of it. And two…two others were watching their worlds fly farther and farther away, towards what might mean death. One had assurance of peace if all went well. But the other…the other could only hope, and wait, and watch.

Because, unbeknownst to her, if Umi died, he died with her.

_Go safe, beloved._


	12. Challenge the Void

"Wait."

Eagle stopped, turned his head, moving in tandem with Lantis. Hikaru was staring at the hallway in front of her.

"Hikaru?"

Hikaru looked at Eagle, then at Lantis.

"I am going to fight."

Instantly, the other two froze. Going to fight? What did she mean? How could she possibly-

"Hikaru, you can't! In your condition-"

"In my condition," Hikaru broke in, "I don't have any other choice. Umi and Fuu…" she looked down for a moment, then continued, "Umi and Fuu need my help. I have to defeat Nova before they get to Debonair. I'm the only one who can do it."

"Hikaru-" Lantis started, but Eagle interrupted him.

"No, wait. I think she's right."

Lantis stared at him apathetically. Though a hint of surprise had shown on his face when Hikaru had first spoken, his face seemed unaccustomed to emotion. But Eagle knew him well enough to see, deep within his eyes, a hint of astonishment. Eagle spoke again.

"We all know that Nova will defeat the Magic Knights because they won't fight her for fear of Hikaru. Hikaru is the only one who can do it."

Lantis only stared at him.

"And anyway," Eagle continued, a hint of derision in the fake smile he pasted on, "if she stays here and Nova defeats them, she'll die just as surely, won't she?"

Lantis shifted a bit at the word 'die'. Moments passed, Hikaru waiting breathlessly until finally Lantis nodded. Then Hikaru sighed and sagged against her helpers, and they started off towards the front of the castle.

"No, wait." Lantis said, face solemn. "The other Magic Knights will see us from there. We need to go to the back entrance."

Eagle nodded and added, "That's good, since my FTO is there as well."

Hikaru looked from man to man. "You can't come with me!"

Eagle glanced down at her. "Why not?"

Hikaru stuttered a bit before answering. "Because…Because you can't!"

Eagle laughed his strange little laugh, not looking at her. "Not a very convincing argument, Magic Knight." And they kept on.

Hikaru continued to look from man to man in amazement. Every once in a while she would let out a huff of air, indicating shock, but mostly they went on silently.

When they finally reached the entrance, they allowed Hikaru to limp the last few feet, so that she could have room to call her rune-god. But when she slid the glove on her arm, and raised her hand towards the sky, she paused. She looked at the glove, the red jewel glimmering dully in the faint light, and doubt after doubt ran through her brain. She looked back at the two men waiting behind her.

Lantis gave a faint nod, the same flicker of a smile that Hikaru had learned to look for flittering across his face. Eagle tilted his smiling face to the side, and gave her a thumbs-up.

Somehow, those two gestures served to give her more energy than all the reassuring words of the others. She nodded at them, raised her arm, and with a mighty cry summoned her Mashin from where it waited.

"RAYEARTH!"

Instantly, the bolt of red lightning shot down from the sky, enveloping her in a blood-red light. When they could see again, Hikaru was dressed in her flowing cape and headdress, her eyes fierce and determined. Lantis nodded again as Eagle moved towards the FTO.

"Eagle!" He called, catching his one-time friend's attention. Eagle looked back, already halfway up his machine. "I will stay here. I no longer have my Mashin, so I will stay and tell the others of your whereabouts."

Eagle smiled and waved. But for a moment, just before he turned, their eyes met, and suddenly Lantis gasped, shock on his face. Then Eagle was closing the cover of the FTO and firing the engines, and Lantis could no longer see him.

"Lantis…" Hikaru said, turning back towards him. Lantis looked at her. But she said nothing, simply staring at him. And then she shook her head, lowered her outstretched arm, and said softly, "Never mind."

Lantis nodded a third and final time, and the beam of red light shot from Rayearth to encase Hikaru in it's glow, and she was gone.

So it was that even as the shining figures of Celes and Windam swept away from love and safety, carrying the hearts of two dear ones with them; two other glimmering lights dashed from the other side of the castle, the blessing on one of them the strength of two hearts.

So the Magic Knights went to do battle with the forces of evil that threatened their land, the land of Cephiro.

The land of their heart.

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"At least we know what is happening. I'm not sure I could take this pressure if I did not know that Hikaru, at least, was safe."

Presea's statement was met with murmurs of assent. Caldina, beside the smith, clasped her hands in front of herself, her normally smiling face solemn. Ascot, Clef, Lafarga, and Ferio were all stationed about the globe Clef had summoned, some peering into intently, some staring off into the distance contemplatively. Lantis simply stood, calm and silent. He had entered the council chambers just after watching Hikaru and Eagle leave, and there had discovered that the crowd which had so recently dispersed from the other two Magic Knights had reassembled here to watch them from a distance. Now they were all settled tensely, talking in muted voices or simply staring at nothing.

"What the-" Lafarga growled.

Everyone turned back to the globe as suddenly, inside the perimeter, a second bubble appeared, also with two Mashins within it. Everyone stared at the new bubble for a moment, then suddenly Presea cried out.

"That's Hikaru!"

Everyone gasped.

"But who…" Clef murmured, moving closer to the globe and staring at the unfamiliar white Mashin. He had set it up to monitor the actions of the Magic Knights outside of the protection of the castle. Somehow Hikaru must have escaped…or perhaps…

"Isn't that…Eagle's?!?"

They all turned to Lantis. He stood, silent and solemn, as they leveled accusing and curious stares at him.

"Lantis, what is going on?" Lafarga barked.

Lantis bowed his head. "I allowed Hikaru to go and fight. Eagle accompanied her."

The whole room erupted into shouts, denials, and accusations. It took all of Clef's formidable force of will to settle them down, though Caldina refused to let go of Lafarga, who had tried to rush Lantis. Finally, Clef turned to the one in question and asked,

"Lantis, why did you do this?"

Lantis stared the Master Mage straight in the eye before answering, "Because Hikaru is correct. Only she can defeat Nova. Without defeating Nova, the other Magic Knights have no chance at defeating Debonair."

At the simple logic in this statement, the others settled somewhat. It seemed to them that Lantis was right.

"But why did you allow the Autozam commander to go with her?"

Lantis' face, if possible, grew more solemn at Ferio's question.

"He will not harm her."

"How do you know?" Ferio pressed.

"He will not harm her." Lantis replied, stoic. Clef, also curious and even more worried, stepped forward to look into Lantis' eyes and, if possible, into his mind. Lantis met the Master's questing gaze, and allowed a sliver of truth to pass his formidable shields.

"What…" Clef gasped, stepping back. The others turned to him, but he gathered himself together swiftly, and only responded, "Lantis is right. Hikaru is safe with Eagle."

They all turned their attention back to the globe with the twin bubbles in it.

"All we can do is wait."

Silently, however, one of the group slipped away, flitting through the shadows as quietly as possible.

_You won't fight alone, Hikaru._

The figure reached the door, slipped through it, and ran down the hallways like a shadow.

_I will fight beside you._

Down a corridor of like doors, stopped at one, pulled it open.

_Though it cost me my life._

Presea knelt on the floor of her chambers, slowly chanting the words that would bring her heart into contact with Hikaru.

_I will not let you die._

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**_

They flew in near silence, not knowing what to say. They searched all the areas Debonair had been sighted, finding nothing but barren earth and desolate rock. Once, when the stopped after yet another fruitless search, Umi turned to Fuu, unusually serious.

"Fuu…"

The other Magic Knight turned to her foster-sister. "Yes, Umi-san?"

Umi's brow wrinkled. "Do you truly believe we can win against Debonair…?"

Though she did not say it, both girls heard the silent "without Hikaru" within her words. Fuu paused a bit before answering.

"I have to believe, Umi-san. Besides, the strength of a believing heart is power in Cephiro. If we believe we can win, we shall."

But Umi looked dubious. "I believed we could win this whole time. But…I never thought we wouldn't have Hikaru with us. I don't know for sure, anymore."

For a moment, Fuu determined exterior melted and she looked uncertain for the first time. "I know, Umi-san. I just don't know what I may do about it." Then she smiled, and her usual self reemerged. "I believe our next location is to the south, Umi-san. We should go."

Umi nodded, but her face was solemn, and when they took off, she found no joy in the travel.

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"Nova!"

Hikaru's cry echoed around the barren plain, her eyes scanning everywhere for some flicker of her alter-ego.

Nothing.

Eagle turned from where he was looking, focused on Hikaru. "Perhaps we should wait for her to come to us."

Hikaru shook her head. "No, we don't have enough time. We have to defeat her before Umi and Fuu reach Debonair."

But even as she finished talking, there was a spark of golden light, then a glimmer, then Nova was standing on a high precipice, laughing her grating half-laugh.

"Hikaru! You want to play with me?" Her childish face darkened, her smile turning terrible. "Fine!"

She gave a haunting cry, and out of the darkness her Mashin emerged. As the light shot down to envelope her, her face dissolved into something like happiness.

"Oh, Hikaru…cute Hikaru, I'll let you find out your question…Hikaru!"

And then she was charging, her Mashin dark and terrible even in the half-light of the day. Hikaru jerked and tried to draw her sword, but she was too shocked, and did not move fast enough.

"Hikaru!" Nova growled as she charged.

And then Eagle was there, blocking the blow with his own energy-sword.

"Hikaru!" he shouted over his shoulder, straining against the Shadow. "Hurry up!"

Hikaru nodded and put her hand over the glove, concentrating. A second later, the deadly sword emerged, flowing like fire into her hand and then solidifying. She gave a heave, and then she was in the air, with a clear shot to Nova.

"Ruby Lightning!"

Her magic sped towards the embattled pair, but then Nova leaped away, sending a barrage of energy bolts towards the inferno. It dissolved, and Nova let out a shout.

"RUBY LIGHTNING!"

The bolts of blood-red death sped towards Hikaru, but she raised her sword, and blocked the barrage. Then Eagle appeared behind Nova, slicing down with his blade. Nova blocked it, and the battle was joined.

Blow after blow was blocked, strike after strike deflected. Nova continued without a scratch, and Hikaru, though tired, was the same. But Eagle did not have the magic that the other two had, and time and again a little bit of Nova's lashing power would penetrate his shield, strike him. He kept moving, seeming relentless. But he was tiring.

"EAGLE! Look out!"

There was a blast, and Eagle was flung away, crashing against a rock.

"EAGLE!" Hikaru screamed, then turned in a rush to confront Nova. Her sword clashed, and Nova went skidding backwards under the force of her blow.

Again and again they ran, clashed, and fought. But Hikaru was growing stronger through fear, love, and a desperate need to win. Nova was forced back, forced to block blow after blow that Hikaru rained down on her head. But block them she did, and not one slipped through her guard.

"Hikaru…" she smiled even as she battled, "You cannot win. You cannot win!"

"Neither will you!" Hikaru cried.

And then Eagle swooped in, his energy-whip thrusting forwards, and no more words could be spoken.

For a time, it seemed well. Nova was kept on the defensive, shielding herself from blows coming from both sides. But in a fallen instant, Hikaru faltered, and Nova let out a victorious shout and let off a thousand bolts of energy from her arm, all swooping with vicious intent towards Hikaru.

But then Eagle was there, kneeling in front of her, his body shielding hers. Bolt after bolt hammered into his back, and he gritted his teeth and took it. In the slightest pause, he turned with lightning swiftness and sent a blast of his own hurtling back at the pink-haired Shadow. She cried out and sped away, dodging the homing missile. Eagle watched for a split second, then turned to Hikaru, smiling through his pain.

"Are you alright?" he asked, with the same kindness and strange feeling within his eyes. Hikaru nodded mutely, unable to grasp what he had done.

"Eagle…your back…"

Eagle just smiled and shook his head. "I'll be fine. Come, let's go!"

He stood and reached down. She looked into his eyes for a moment, then took the hand. But when she stood, she scarcely used the support it offered, for even in the brief contact she could feel how much control it was taking him just to stand.

"Eagle…" she said, soft, sad. But then she smiled warmly through her tears and pain. "Thank you."

And then Nova was there again, and no more words could be spoken. The battle rejoined, the two fighters continually trying to find the weakness that was not there, expose the flaw which seemed not to exist.

And then Nova let out a shout, thinking she could finally take down her creator. She lunged forwards, twin blades flashing, and tried to strike. Hikaru blocked, and they stood for a split second, locked in a terrible moment.

"Hikaru…" Nova whispered, smiling cherubically.

Hikaru just pulled back and let out a vicious cry as she came in for another strike. Nova slipped under her guard and began to stab upwards with her sword, aiming for Hikaru's unprotected chest.

"HIKARU!"

Everything seemed to slow, to stop. Time froze, eternally holding this terrible, final moment.

"Uhng…"

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It was but a few minutes later that their quarry appeared, and the battle began.

"Magic Knights, I have no fear of you. Where is your last member? How does it feel to have no one to fight for you, and protect you?"

Umi and Fuu didn't respond, but took the time to ready their weapons.

Debonair let out a screeching laugh. "Yet you will still fight? How amusing. Very well."

Her smile turned into a snarl. "Die, Magic Knights!"

And so began the hopeless fight of the Magic Knights.


	13. Collapsed into Dark

Nova's face flashed in perverted joy as she drew her blade out, moving with unnatural lethargy. For Hikaru, they were frozen in time, the agony and pain etched on her for an eternal moment as Eagle fell slowly to his knees, hands holding his belly where dark blood flowed from the gaping wound. His face was still, frozen in agony, yet the light of his eyes shone with immeasurable ecstasy. Sound and motion stopped, and it seemed as though Hikaru was borne away on a tide of unreality. As Eagle fell, she thought she could hear the silence as he whispered his last words to her.

_"Hi…ka…ru…" _he mouthed, on his knees now. All she could hear was the harsh sound of his labored breathing, the rough scratching of his clothes against the stone as he collapsed.

And then time returned to normal, and Nova was laughing horribly, her high, grating voice cutting over everything else. She pulled back a black-booted foot and let fly, kicking Eagle's limp body across the debris.

"Everyone tries to stop me! Everyone tries to stop me from playing with Hikaru!"

She loosed another barrage of energy at Eagle's slack form, eyes narrowed in malicious glee. But then Hikaru was there, standing in front of Eagle as she took the assault for him. When Nova lowered her arm, Hikaru looked up, her face strong even as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Nova!" she shouted, "You will not touch him!"

Nova laughed again.

"And who is going to stop me, Hikaru? You?"

Hikaru did not answer, but stood, silent and still, as Nova giggled yet again, and lowered her arm for another volley of her energy blots.

Hikaru brought her sword to bear, blocking the energies. But even as the last bolt disintegrated, Nova was falling from her cliff-top, her swords above her head as she tried to slice Hikaru from head to toe. Hikaru raised her fire-blade above her head, catching Nova's swords on her own.

So they stood there, locked in mortal combat, neither able to defeat the other. Straining against her Shadow, Hikaru could see out of the corner of her eye where Eagle lay, still.

_Hikaru_!

And suddenly Hikaru's eyes widened in shock. In her mind, a vision came of a lady dressed all in white, kneeling in front of a small crystal, the ribbons of her dress flowing around it.

_Presea_? she thought.

_Yes_, came the voice, and in the vision the lady's brows drew together. _Hikaru, I will fight with you!_

"Presea…" she said, gritting her teeth. And suddenly she was filled with new strength, pulsing from a heart not her own. In this new power Hikaru threw Nova off, and struck down with blazing energy. Nova dodged, fear and hate blanching her face.

"How…!" she started, but Hikaru was already swooping in again, her eyes blazing with new-found stamina.

Nova sent attack after attack towards the advancing girl, but a glow of red fire sprang up around Hikaru, and suddenly she looked into Nova's eyes, the new power burning in her.

"PHEONIX FIRE!" She yelled, and from the dark sky a monstrous bird of flame and death swooped towards Nova, intent on its target.

But Nova screamed, and sent up a shield of great power, and though she was struck, the blow did not kill her. But now Hikaru had the advantage.

Again Nova was backing off, but now she was losing, each blow weakening her a little further. Finally, Hikaru threw her against the cliff wall, and leaped forward, so that she and Nova were almost face to face, their blades pushed against each other in a powerful battle of wills.

Nova stared into Hikaru's determined visage, her own pale and blanched in fear. But suddenly she saw into Hikaru's mind, and knew the vision, and a smile stole over her face.

"Hikaru…" she said softly, in almost a singsong, "You know you're being lied to…"

Hikaru's eyes didn't change. "Keep your lies, Nova. I trust my friends. I know they wouldn't lie to me."

Nova eyes glinted dangerously. "Oh, really? What about this?"

And her free hand reached up, and before Hikaru could stop it, touched her forehead.

Suddenly Hikaru felt herself away, and was in a dark, dank place, so black she could not see her hand in front of her face. She looked around herself wildly, trying to find Nova, trying to escape.

"Nova! What is this?"

Nova's high giggle played over the expanse.

_Look, Hikaru! Tell me, do your friends love you?_

"Of course!" Hikaru shouted, defensive, a little frightened, but sure none the less.

_Don't listen to what she says!_ Presea's mind-voice warned. Hikaru nodded firmly, and gripped her sword in both hands.

_Really_? It was Nova's voice again._ Then why do they leave you alone?_

Suddenly Hikaru was seeing the past, watching from the gardens as her friends dashed off to fight without her. When Umi and Fuu looked behind, she saw relief in their faces, and that moment froze in her eye.

"Yes? They were glad I was alright!"

_Ah…yes_. Nova's voice said. _But relief for what? Do you know what they were thinking?_

And suddenly Hikaru heard words from the two figures of the other Magic Knights, though their mouths and bodies remained still.

"Oh, good." Umi's voice said, "She's not going to be able to follow. She's always so careless, and so clumsy!"

"No…" Hikaru whispered.

"I am relieved," Fuu said, "That Hikaru does not come with us. She has a good heart, but she is not as strong as myself and Umi-san. She would tend to hold us back."

"Yes," Umi's voice agreed, "we have our new spells, but she had not learned anything in our whole time here! Maybe she shouldn't have come."

"Maybe you are correct, Umi-san," Fuu replied.

"No…" Hikaru moaned, disbelieving, "my friends love me! They would never think that!"

_Really? How do you know?_

"Hikaru, you took Fuu away from me and killed my sister. I wish you had never come." Though his smile was there, the words Ferio had said as their greeting were terrible, burning her heart.

"Hikaru, you killed all my friends! I want you to go away forever!" Ascot's trembling child's voice was filled with unshed tears as he stood, silent, behind Caldina.

"Hikaru, you killed the Pillar, and now all Cephiro is crumbling. Get away from us!" Clef was sitting on his throne, talking and smiling at the three girls when they first returned, his usually mild voice filled with disgust.

"No…"

And then Lantis was standing there, talking to her for the first time, and behind his eyes his mind-voice rang out clear.

"Hikaru, you killed my country. You murdered my brother. Leave us alone!"

"Yes," Hikaru whispered, breaking, "I remember."

_No! _Presea's voice came sharp and urgent through the fog that was settling over her mind. _No, Hikaru! Think! That's not how it was! Your friends love you! They all have always loved you!_

_Oh, really?_ Nova's voice questioned. _If they loved you, why did they lie?_

"But they didn't lie…" Hikaru whispered, seeking something of her past world, the world that Nova was shattering piece by piece.

_They didn't? Then what about Caldina, who is secretly from Chizeta, who is invading Cephiro?_

Hikaru's eyes widened in shock. "From…Chizeta?"

And she saw Caldina, smiling and laughing as she stood with the others. Then Caldina talking to Lafarga, words pouring from her mouth, condemning herself.

Nova's voice laughed harshly. _You see, cute Hikaru? Your "friends" are liars. They hate you!_

"No…" she whispered weakly, her eyes clouded in doubt.

_NO_! Presea's voice cut through her brain, sharp. _Hikaru, remember. Caldina may be from a different country, but she loves you like the rest of us. Umi and Fuu and Clef and Lafarga…we all love you! We would never lie to you-_

_SHUT UP!_ Nova's voice screeched through the blackness.

_You have to believe me, Hikaru!_ Presea's voice begged. _Don't listen to what this girl is telling you!_

_SHUT UP!_ Nova screamed.

"Yes…" Hikaru whispered. "Caldina is my dear friend…she would never betray me…"

A light began to bloom in the blackness around her, growing with every word.

"Umi and Fuu…They came with me to fight for their hearts…they are my dearest friends…I trust them!" Each word brought new, stronger conviction from Hikaru's burning heart. The light became closer, brighter, more brilliant.

_Yes! _Presea encouraged.

_NO_! Nova's scream was filled with fear, pierced through with hate. _You can't do this!_

"I know my friends…" Hikaru said, all but shouting, "and they would never lie to me!"

_Hikaru…_Nova voice was weak, shaking in suppressed rage, She materialized far above Hikaru in the last spot of blackness within the blazing light. She looked through the light, her eyes burning in hatred, and saw Presea kneeling in her room, her heart exposed to Hikaru.

_"_You!"She snarled."It's all your fault! You took Hikaru away!"_  
_

She swung an arm as though striking an invisible opponent, and in her room Presea jerked and cried out in pain.

"Presea!" Hikaru yelled, and then the brightness disappeared, and she fell to her knees in front of Nova, still trapped, but strong again. She looked up, and now she could see Nova floating above her, irrepressible rage in her gaze.

"Everyone wants to take Hikaru away from me!" She growled, balling her fists.

But instead of attacking, she tilted her head to the side, as though she was thinking, and the terrible impression of a smile appeared back on her face. Hikaru leapt to her feet, taking advantage of Nova's distraction to ready her sword. But then Nova looked down at her, a sickly smile on her face, her features morphing into a revolting semblance of happiness.

"Hikaru…your friends are always lying to you."

"No, Nova! You are the liar!" she shouted, confident and sure again, though Presea was not with her.

She inclined her head further. "Really? Then what about Presea?"

Hikaru looked shocked, confused. "Presea?"

Nova floated down slowly, shaking her head in mock sadness. "Poor, sweet Hikaru…Even your closest friends hate you."

"What are you talking about, Nova!" Hikaru cried, confusion bordering on panic in her voice.

Nova's smile widened. "Ask her. Ask Presea."

Hikaru stared at Nova for a moment, then a shadowy form of Presea materialized before her, looking battered.

_Hikaru…_

"Presea!" she gasped, "are you alright?"

_I'm fine. Hikaru, don't listen to what Nova is saying. No one has ever lied to you._

"No one?" Nova laughed, landing finally and taking a step forward. "Ask her, Hikaru, ask Presea for the truth."

Hikaru glared at Nova. "What are you trying to do, Nova?"

Nova just laughed terribly. "Oh, cute Hikaru! You are so trusting! You think even Emeraude could bring back the dead? Presea's dead, and this is just an imposter!" Nova shouted, pointing vindictively at the shade of the Master Smith.

Hikaru froze, her eyes slowly shifting from Nova to the shadowy form of Presea before her.

"Presea…" she breathed, not believing.

Presea's face turned sad, weary.

_Hikaru…_

"Presea, please," Hikaru begged, all but falling on her knees before the ghost, "please tell me she's lying. It's not true, is it? Please tell me it's not true."

But Presea just stepped forward, raising an arm to place on Hikaru's shoulder.

_Hikaru, please understand…_

But Hikaru stepped back a little, her eyes widening in something akin to madness. "It's not you? You're not Presea? But Clef told me that…Clef told me that the Pillar had brought you back…"

Presea tried to place a hand on Hikaru's arm.

_Hikaru, please, let me explain-_

But Hikaru jerked away. "You lied to me! They all lied to me! Presea's dead, and they lied! You lied!" Her voice was filled with bewilderment, realization, and hurt. Presea winced at the tone, but took another step forward, placating.

_Hikaru, no, I'm not Presea, but I am her sister and-_

"NO!" Hikaru screamed, sobbing as she backed away, her eyes clenched shut in pain. "You lied! You lied! YOU LIED!"

"That's right, Hikaru…they lied to you because they hate you!" Nova said over the sound of Hikaru's hurt, "They all hate you!"

"NO!" Hikaru screamed, and she began to swing her sword blindly, her eyes open but only able to see the red of pain and rage. "NO!"

"They hate you, Hikaru! They've lied to you the whole time!"

She could see, suddenly, back to the day when they were about to leave for the second time for Cephiro. Umi reached out to hug her.

"Hikaru," she said, "Don't cry. You are so weak already, if you cry you will make me sick."

"Hikaru-san…we are sorry. Sorry that we had to go with you to that terrible place, away from our homes and families. We were hurt so badly there, all because of you!"

"I'm sorry!" Hikaru sobbed, "I'm sorry!"

"I wish we had never gone to Cephiro. I wish we'd never met you!" Umi's voice was harsh, vindictive.

"I agree. We were happy, and then you came along and forced us into a battle that had nothing to do with us! How could you? I hate you, Hikaru."

"I hate you, Hikaru." Umi echoed.

Hate you, Hikaru…

Hate you, Hikaru…

Hate you…

Hikaru…

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Her voice weakened, cracked, her last barrier beginning to fall. Tears streaming down her face, she stared at the brightness of her sword. "I'm so sorry…"

And then she heard it: the faint, unmistakable sound of metal fracturing.

"What?" she looked at closer at her sword. Where once was a perfectly forged blade, now there was a hairline crack running through the top of it.

"How-" she started, but then the crack began to expand, moving farther down the blade and widening as she watched. Panic in her eyes and voice, she looked at Nova and asked,

"What is this? What's happening?"

But it was Presea's sister who answered, her voice coming clearly through the black for the first time. "Hikaru," she said softly, her voice breaking, "That sword is forged from a metal that was shaped by your heart. Your trusting heart that cared for your friends. And now that heart is breaking."

Hikaru didn't respond, still fixated on the thin lines running through her blade. But then she lowered it, turning her head away. "It would have broken anyway," she said harshly, "because that trust was false."

"No!" The sister's voice was strong, though tears streamed down her face. "No! That trust was true! They would never betray you! Nova is lying!"

"And why should I believe you?" Hikaru snapped, finally looking at Presea's twin. "You already lied to me. You've been living a lie. What do you know about the truth?"

Another pinging sound, another hairline crack running through her sword. They all looked at the blade, but once again Hikaru simply turned her head, putting her back to the imposter Presea. Nova, above them, smiled.

"I don't have any friends." She said, her voice cold though her eyes betrayed her pain.

"That's not true!" Presea cried, standing and limping towards her. "Listen to me, Hikaru! My name is Sierra, and I am Presea's sister! No, I'm not Presea, but I love you as much as she did, Hikaru!" She trailed off, her heart in her throat, choking her.

But Nova simply floated down beside Hikaru, placing a cold, gloved hand on the Magic Knight's shoulder.

"Be quiet, you hag! Can't you see that she doesn't want to listen to liars anymore? Go away, leave her alone!" Though her voice was filled with sisterly anger, behind Hikaru's back she was grinning madly at Sierra.

"Hikaru…" Sierra whispered, begging. "Please…"

But Hikaru didn't move, didn't even look back at her. Sierra let out a choking sob, collapsing onto the black floor beneath her even as three more cracks appeared on the nearly-broken surface of the blade.

Hikaru allowed Nova to wrap silky black tendrils of magic around her, letting herself be drawn into Nova's embrace, her eyes dead.

"Go away." Her voice was flat, lifeless.

Sierra looked up then, and in a final attempt, shouted, "Remember the promise!"

For a moment, there was silence, and Nova glared at Sierra, a hint of fear showing in her eyes. But then Hikaru let the blackness slide off of her, and turned to face Sierra where she knelt, a growing hope in her eyes.

But Hikaru's eyes were as dead as her voice when she spoke.

"Go away."

And there was a multitude of tiny cracking sounds, and then Hikaru's blade shattered, falling into a million pieces that shimmered in fading life before they died.

Sierra let out a strangled sob, finally seeing that it was over, and she had lost.

Hikaru turned away as Sierra collapsed onto the floor, broken. Nova pulled Hikaru closer, and they faded out of the mind-plain.

Slowly, Hikaru's blank eyes opened into reality, but this time there was no fire within them, no hidden strength empowering them. Instead, she simply stared at the gloating Nova as the pink-haired girl came closer, her eyes gleaming with the prospect of becoming fully human.

"Cute Hikaru, I will make you mine forever, Hikaru, Hikaru!"

The same grotesque smile lit her face as she neared the lax form of the Fire Knight's beaten body. A faint wince twisted her eyes for a moment, but Hikaru simply lay comatose, waiting for Nova to touch her heart and banish her into the darkness forever.

"I have no reason to stay…" she whispered to herself.

"That's right, cute Hikaru!" Nova chortled.

"No true friends…"

"No, no! They all lied to you! Everyone lied but me…" Nova agreed, her smile becoming cherubic.

She moved in on the girl, almost there, savoring the taste of reality, her twisted mind seeing only happiness.

As her hand neared, touched Hikaru's heart, began to pull out the spirit within, Hikaru spoke one last time, the last light in her soul extinguished.

"No love…"

And then Nova was there, and her eyes shut out life for the last time.


	14. Brilliance

"We will play together forever, cute Hikaru!" Nova smiled grotesquely as she allowed her darkness to flow into Hikaru.

Then a brilliant beam of energy arced from Hikaru's heart, racing through the air to strike Nova hard, sending her skidding backwards.

"What!…." Nova growled, rubbing her eyes clear of the spots and looking up.

"You shall not touch her!"

Hikaru's eyes were still closed, unconsciousness holding her frame in it's grip. But pulsing from her heart was a brilliant beam of energy, glowing and wondrous, that flowed into a gleaming figure of a person hovering slightly above Hikaru's body.

"You shall not touch her!" The voice repeated, high and melodic.

"Who…who are you?!?" Nova cried, shielding her face from the fearsome glow.

The figure did not respond, but the brilliance of the light pulsed even greater for a moment, causing Nova to shrink away, afraid.

"Who are you?" Nova shouted again, fear and anger in her voice.

"I am the Pillar of Cephiro. You shall not touch her!" The light was to brilliant to be seen through, and the voice's face could not be seen.

"The Pillar?" Nova shouted, her confidence returning, "the Pillar is dead! I killed her myself!"

"Wrong!" the voice came clear over Nova's laughter. "As long as there is hope within the heart of the people of Cephiro, the Pillar cannot die!"

"Really?" Nova mocked, laughing, "You're nothing but another trick! Another lie! Show me your face!"

The brilliance faded slightly, the light dimming enough that Nova could finally make out the person's figure.

She had long, shining hair, golden as sunrise, flowing all the way to her ankles, unbound. Her face was long, beautiful, strong, reminiscent of the silent Fire Knight that lay beneath her. Her dress was ivory white and wondrous, the many layers flowing around the person as though a faint breeze had disturbed them. Her eyes were a brilliant, shining blue, piercing and strong. Though the voice was girlish, the face was that of a woman.

"It can't be…" Nova whispered, disbelieving.

Far away, in a crystal palace made of strong will, a small, white-haired mage fell to his knees, his eyes brimming with tears and his face etched with unbelievable pain.

"Princess Emeraude…"

On the battlefield of Debonair and the other Magic Knights, Umi and Fuu halted their near-useless assault, turning their battered and weary bodies to the light that was burning in the west, bright as the sun.

"Princess Emeraude…"

"No!" Nova snarled, and let loose a barrage of lightning at the silent, glowing figure. They struck painfully, but the Princess did not move.

"You may defeat me, Nova, but I will not let you touch her!"

Nova just gnashed her teeth and sent yet more blasts at the motionless figure. Again, they struck, and Emeraude winced painfully, but she did not move from her place before Hikaru.

Again and again the lightning flashed, again and again the gleaming figure took it. Eventually Nova halted for a moment, panting hard and glaring at the battered, gleaming figure.

"Why?" she questioned, snarling, "Why is she so important to you?"

Emeraude looked down at the bleeding form beneath her, a gentle, sad smile lighting her face.

"Because she is hope."

Nova screamed and drew out her energy-swords, charging the Princess. Emeraude drew a blade from the air, blocking what she could. Her movements were strained, unpracticed, but Nova's fury made her careless, and when the onslaught was over, Emeraude still stood.

"You cannot kill me, Nova!" she said, defiant, "I am the Pillar of Cephiro!"

"I killed you once!" Nova screamed, "I can do it again!"

"Can you? Can you really?" Emeraude questioned.

Nova just renewed her attack, striking again and again in anger and panic. But this time, the fear made her strong, and blow after blow struck through the Princess' guard, causing her to cry out in pain. Nova smiled, feeling victory near at hand.

"You can't win, Princess," Nova mocked, laughing, "Even if I lose, Cephiro will be destroyed. All the people are afraid, and they will never have another Pillar to put their faith in!"

"No!" Emeraude shouted, bringing her sword to bear, "There already is another Pillar, and no matter how you seek to destroy her, she will survive!"

"Oh, really?" Nova laughed, "I already killed Eagle. There will never be another Pillar!"

"Wrong!" Emeraude shouted, advancing on the frightened Shadow. "When I was killed, this part of my spirit was allowed to live on inside the body of the next Pillar, to guide her and help her."

"No-" Nova began, but Emeraude raised her voice, speaking over Nova's protest.

"But that person couldn't use my power until she had been through the ultimate test, and defeated the last part of herself that fought her destiny."

"No…" Nova repeated, disbelieving.

"And that part," Emeraude continued, her voice almost a shout, "was broken away from the Pillar, and placed in another body, so that when the time was right, the Pillar could face the test, and defeat it!"

"But she didn't defeat me! She lost!"

"WRONG!" Emeraude shouted. "She defeated you because no matter how much you fought her believing heart with your lies, she had one truth to hold to, even when all seemed lost."

"No! I forced all her friends out of her heart! Who could she have believed in?" Nova was whimpering now, disbelieving.

"ONE WHO WOULD LAY DOWN HIS LIFE!" Emeraude shouted, "He is true! He is love! And Hikaru believed in him, even though her own mind told her not to!"

And she pointed across the field, where a shadowed form was nearing them, limping. And slowly, into the brilliance of Emeraude's spirit, Eagle's battered and broken body walked towards them, his eyes burning with his love for Hikaru.

"Nova…" He whispered, his voice breaking with pain and emotion, "I claim Hikaru. I claim her because I love her, and you cannot break that. Not with a thousand deaths. Not with a thousand swords. And not," he continued, his voice and step strong now.

"And not…"

He was almost to them, his eyes burning with a fire lit so deeply within that Nova had not seen it until now, until it was to late. He stood now in front of a wide-eyed, shaking Nova. He leaned down, grabbed her chin, and forced her to look at him.

"and not with your lies, you cursed demon!"

And he leaned down, and captured her lips with his.

She struggled fiercely, but some unmoving strength kept her bound in place. Her body went limp, her form beginning to shake.

Eagle stepped back, victory in his eyes. Nova looked at him with hate in her eyes, but her form was beginning to melt, the edges becoming unclear in the brilliance of Emeraude's never-ending light. Around her, the stones began to rattle, and the light of the Princess began to flow back into Hikaru's spirit. Nova looked around, fear and panic in her face.

"What did you do to me?" she whispered, scared like a little child. "What did you do!"

Eagle just smiled and took another step away.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!" she screamed.

"Hikaru's heart never lost it's faith in him!" Emeraude yelled, "Even when your lies took everything else away from her, you couldn't lie about him! And because even the smallest part of her heart still cared, your heart cared to!"

"NO!" Nova cried, struggling against the invisible bonds.

"AND BECAUSE HIKARU'S HEART STILL LOVED HIM," Emeraude continued, shouting now, "Your heart loved him too! Eagle gave his own love back so that he could open up that small piece of your heart! And it will destroy you, because all you are is lies, and that love…"

"THAT LOVE…" Emeraude shouted as Nova thrashed blindly against her bonds.

_"THAT LOVE IS TRUTH!"_

The stones jumped and danced about her, and the ground began to shake fiercely. All of Emeraude's light was within Hikaru's soul, her shadowy body disappearing in the new light as Hikaru began to glow like a foxfire, her brilliance rivaling that of the Princess'.

Nova's fear caused her to try to draw her swords, to try to move, but the incessant shaking and some immovable force kept her still.

"No…" she cried, "No!"

And then a great burst of light exploded from Hikaru, arcing between the two girls, pulsating beads beginning to flow from one figure to another. Eagle stepped further away, shielding his face with his hands, the emotion of the moment serving to numb his dying body to the pain.

Nova let out a haunting scream across the heavens, and from many miles away where Umi and Fuu were being flung against the stone, Fuu turned her bleeding face towards Umi.

"Umi…she did it…"

Umi, equaling battered, smiled tiredly and nodded. "I knew she could."

And they smiled faintly, and blessed oblivion flowed over them, drowning them in a fatal darkness as Debonair herself stared to the west, into the rising sun.

A final, great burst of light, and then it was over, and where Nova had stood was the Magic Knight of Fire, glowing brilliantly in the surge of power she had received.

She turned her head to the heavens, lifting her arms as though to embrace the sky.

"RAYEARTH!"

Many hundred miles away, in the crystal palace, Clef felt the pulse of energy from the throne room, and in his mind's eye saw the Proof of the Pillar flash out of existence. He turned back to the seeing globe, eyes wide.

"The Pillar of Cephiro…"

And a bolt of golden-white energy struck through the dawn to fly into her arms, a warrior's blade beyond any others. It, too, was gleaming in a golden energy, its power evident even before it was fully formed.

Hikaru lowered her hands, the blade ready within them. She braced herself, then turned east where Debonair's darkness was billowing. Slowly, from the black clouds, Debonair's fearsome form emerged, a suffocating blackness against Hikaru's renewing white.

"Hah! You want to fight me?!?" Debonair laughed as she saw the sword in Hikaru's hands. "Fine. DIE!"

Black lightning crackled out of her hands, but Hikaru raised her gleaming blade, and the blackness faded against the light.

"Debonair!" Hikaru cried, staring up at the figure before her, eyes defiant. "You are only fear! You cannot kill, you cannot harm, all you can do is scare me! Do you think that will win you a country?"

Debonair, the first hint of fear showing in her eyes, snarled and let out a barrage of black energy.

In the palace, another globe suddenly appeared in the middle of the garden, showing all the people of Cephiro the final battle for their worlds. As the words of Hikaru came across, suddenly a group of three children ran to the front.

"Everybody! Hikaru-onechan is right! If we stop being afraid, and start to believe, we can defeat Debonair on our own!"

"That's right," Ferio agreed, walking into the room. "The Pillar is only as powerful as our hearts. If you just believe that Hikaru can win, then she will."

"But Debonair's so strong!" someone cried out.

"But we can be stronger!" Ascot said, following Lafarga and Caldina into the room. "We can beat this thing!"

"That's right! Ya'll just need ta believe in yourselves and in Hikaru!" Caldina interjected.

Around the room, murmurs ran, each person giving consideration what had been said.

"I believe!" said one of the children.

"I do too!" another cried.

"Me too!" someone else agreed.

"And me!"

"And me!"

Around the huge chamber, more and more of the shivering Cephirans found their heart, and their belief, and stood from their fear to defy Debonair one last time.

And on the battleground, Hikaru let out an enormous shout, and swung the glowing blade, letting loose a storm of power. And Debonair screamed and ran before it, trying to escape it's fearsome strength.

"Curse you, Cephiro! Curse you, Emeraude!"

"CURSE YOU, MAGIC KNIGHT!"

And then she was gone.

But Hikaru was not finished. Raising the sword above her head, she cried out in a voice that thundered across the plains.

"I now abolish the Pillar System, and forever give the land of Cephiro into the hands and hearts of those who love this land!"

A beam of light sprang from her sword into the heavens, parting the dark clouds that had so long covered the sky. And far above, she saw the very first hints of dawn, the first dawn she had seen since she came to Cephiro.

Exhausted, Hikaru lowered the glowing sword to the ground, tired but victorious. She turned to smile at Eagle.

He gave her a thumbs-up, but then his strength failed him, and he collapsed onto the ground.

"Eagle!" Hikaru cried, rushing over to him. She knelt beside him, taking in for the first time the gaping hole in his stomach. "Oh, no…" she said, her eyes filling with tears.

"Eagle…don't move, you'll be alright, just stay still…"

Eagle coughed, blood coming from his mouth. But then he smiled. "No, I…will not…be alright…"

The tears that had been forming were coming hard and fast now, Hikaru unable to accept this pain.

Eagle smiled faintly at her as she cradled his head on her lap.

"I'm…sorry…Hikaru…" he gasped out, pain making his voice come out rough. "I didn't…want to…make you…cry." He reached up slowly, brushing her face with his hand. Hikaru held his hand against her cheek, trying to stem the tears.

"Eagle, don't talk, you'll be alright, you'll see…"

Eagle let out a hoarse bark of laughter, smiling against his pain. "Hikaru…it's alright, I want to die…"

"No!" Hikaru cried, "I won't let you!"

But Eagle simply smiled at her, shaking his head.

"There's nothing…you can do."

Hikaru bit her lip, tasting the salt of her tears on her tongue. "Oh, there must be something I can…Please, let me do something!"

Eagle regarded her softly for a moment. After a moment, he spoke.

"Hikaru," he said gently. She looked at him, tears running down her face to her chin. He smiled. She had never looked so beautiful.

"Hikaru," he repeated softly, "there is something you can do for me."

"What is it, Eagle? Please…" she trailed off, her voice shaking.

Eagle smiled. "I don't want you to regret saying that."

"Anything, Eagle." she said, trying to smile through her pain.

"Then listen. Hikaru…" He paused for a moment, staring into her eyes.

"Hikaru, I love you."

Hikaru gasped, tried to speak, but Eagle held up a hand, and she went silent.

"I know you had some idea. I also know that perhaps, in time, you would have loved me too. But I loved you from the moment I saw you standing, so beautiful and so defiant, in my room. You looked like a queen." Eagle smiled at the remembrance. He continued. "I was sick, even then, and knew my time would be limited on Cephiro. I suppose Lantis knew about my illness. I think he even guessed why I decided to go with you."

Suddenly he broke off, coughing into his hand, blood spattering his gloves. Hikaru tried to move, tried to stop him, but he shook his head and waited till he could speak.

"I…came because I didn't…want to die…in bed, far away…from my home." He said, gasping for breath. His grip on her hand was weakening, and Hikaru's heart clenched in sudden apprehension.

Eagle was smiling up at her.

"But I couldn't think…of a better way to die…than fighting…for the one I love." He finished, breathing hard and smiling. Hikaru looked down at him, a terrible, momentary happiness in her heart. She opened her mouth to say something, but once again Eagle stopped her.

"No, don't…speak. I know what…you would say. Now…I want you to…do something for me."

Hikaru nodded, tears running freely down her face.

"I want you to…tell Lantis…how you feel."

Hikaru gasped. "How I feel? But how did you-"

Once again, Eagle stopped her. "I just… know. Tell him."

Hikaru looked down, sad. "But he hates me. I killed his brother."

"Hikaru!" He whispered harshly, "If you never find out…and you leave, …you will never forgive…yourself." His words were coming harder now, his life fast failing. Hikaru saw the dimness in his eyes, and her protests died on her tongue, and she nodded.

"Good." Eagle said, satisfied. They were silent a moment, Hikaru looking into his placid face.

"Eagle…" she said, scarcely able to get the words past the lump in her throat.

He lay there a moment, staring at her, and then suddenly smiled wistfully.

"Before…when I was in my cell…I always thought…that if I could die…defending you…I would be satisfied…" his smile deepened, saddened. "But now…I can't seem to…let go…when you look so sad. You need…to smile…more often."

He trailed off, coughing again. This time, it took longer for the fit to subside, and it caused the wound on his stomach to pour out more dark red blood.

"Eagle…" she said again, and he looked up at her, grinning even as he panted for breath.

Hikaru's face became even more pained, though she tried her hardest to bring up a smile.

"Oh, Eagle…" she cried out, her head dropping down, her tears flowing unabated. "I can't! I can't stop crying! Please, Eagle…please…" she sobbed quietly, the hurt tearing at her heart to painful to keep inside. "Stay with me…"

"Hikaru…" Eagle said quietly, his hand reaching up with great effort to touch her cheek. "I want to die…happy…in the arms…of my love." Hikaru looked up, eyes spilling over but something like peace beginning to appear in her face.

Suddenly Eagle's smile faded, and his eyes filled with a fierce longing. Hikaru stared at him.

"Please…I want to be selfish…Just once in…my life…let me be selfish…" He spoke through gritted teeth.

Hikaru nodded slowly.

"Please…Just for a little, even if…it can't be forever…can I have…your heart?" His eyes deepened, his whole soul in this moment. Hikaru stared into those beautiful, beautiful eyes, and a sudden fierce happiness came into his face, and she smiled at him with the glow that he had come to dream about, to love.

He smiled at her, and she leaned down, her eyes soft. She paused just above his lips, and spoke the words that he had given his life to hear.

"I love you, Eagle Vision…"

And in the dawning light of the new day of Cephiro, Hikaru softly pressed her lips to his, giving her heart to him for one moment of forever, allowing him this last, beautiful happiness. When she pulled back, he smiled at her, content.

"Now I…can die…happy." He chuckled faintly as he spoke.

His hand came up, soft and gentle, to caress her cheek, his eyes loving, soft, fading.

"So… beautiful…" he whispered, and was still.

And as the light of the first day of the new Cephiro chased out the darkness, Eagle's soul raced into the heavens, a parting promise echoing in the ears of a girl whose sorrow was heavier than stone.

_I will always be with you…_

And she looked up into the sky, and saw a small bird wheeling above her, the first life she had seen outside of the palace.

The first life of a new Cephiro.

"Goodbye…Eagle…"


	15. The Final Light

"WE DID IT!" Caldina leaped up, punching the air, then landed twirling. Lafarga, nearby, laughed at her exuberance until Caldina rushed up to him to kiss him soundly on the lips. Then he couldn't breathe, much less laugh.

Around them, similar signs of jubilation were continuing. The moment the Proof of the Pillar had appeared in Hikaru's hand, powered up by belief, the first hints of victory had begun. When Hikaru had abolished the Pillar system, the moment that the surprise had worn off everyone was celebrating. Now the whole room was adorned with flowers, ribbons, and hats that had been thrown too carelessly. Almost everyone was celebrating.

But in a corner, a certain green haired prince would smile and nod, then turn back to the now-blank globe, frowning. The last he had seen of his princess, she had been flung against a stone, and had slid to the ground, unmoving. When Hikaru had abolished the system, the screen had gone blank, and nothing had shown in it since. Ferio had tried again and again to get to Clef, but too many people stood in the way, and every time he was thwarted.

And he was not the only one still worried. In a different corner, a certain Summoner was watching the globe intently, searching for any sign that his own Magic Knight was yet alive. If she was otherwise…

_She has to be._ Ascot told himself firmly. Y_ou haven't got to tell her the most important thing yet._

Face set once again, Ascot resettled himself, shifting to a better position to stare into the blankness of the seeing orb.

And then someone at the edge of the crowd let out a cry, pointing to the tall windows far above.

"Look! The sun!"

Everyone turned to where the finger pointed. There, filtering weakly through the window of the garden, was faint, beautiful, golden light, the first hints of dawn.

Everyone stared, awe-struck, at the glint. And then, moving with one purpose and in one heart, everyone broke into laughter and song as they ran for the doors, doors that had not been opened for them in months.

Clef was leading the crowd, barely distinguishable from the children that danced around him. Laughing, he set his staff on the ground in front of the doors, letting a glow of power push the huge gates open.

"The sky! The sky!" The children cried, "I can see the sky!"

As one the crowd moved outside, staring around themselves in wonder at the feeling of a wind against their face, and the sparkles of sun on the palace.

"Look! What's that?"

Far in the distance, but rapidly nearing, were two spots of color on the horizon. Everyone stared intently at the growing dots, and then suddenly Ferio was shoving his way through the crowd.

"Move! It's Fuu!"

And then Ascot was pushing to the front, struggling to get closer to his Umi. And then the spots became even more visible, and a third one joined them. As they drew near, one child in the crowd let out a shout.

"IT'S HIKARU!"

At this, everyone began cheering and waving, urging their heroes to come faster, nearer.

In moments, the dots became Mashins, and then grew huge, and the crowds moved back to give the Magic Knights room to land.

Two beams of light, one blue and one green, shot from the massive jewel within the heart of the Mashin, and formed the armored figures of Umi and Fuu. The third was yet in the air, obviously waiting for the other two to leave.

Over the stillness of the people as they stared in awe at their giant saviors, a voice, deep and resonating, began to speak.

"Legendary Magic Knight of Wind, I thank thee for thy wisdom. Thy selflessness in battle hath given the world of Cephiro back unto it's people. I am no longer needed by thee, but should danger arise, thou hast but to call my name, and I shall come."

Fuu nodded, looking determined and solemn, then smiled. "Thank you, Windam."

The green Mashin suddenly glowed, and then in a flash there was nothing but a brilliant ball of green energy that swooped away into the sky. Another voice began speaking.

"Legendary Magic Knight of Water, I thank thee for thy courage. Thy valor in this terrible war was key to the survival of all people, great and small. Without thy bravery, this world would surely have perished. Since the time of danger is past, I shall return to my slumber. But shouldst peril arise…thou knowest I would fight by thee, Umi."

Umi smiled hugely. "Of course. Thanks, Celes."

And then the blue Mashin was a sphere of condensed energy, rushing through the sky to disappear through the air.

And then both the girls stepped back, though everyone was still in awe of the Mashin and did not move.

And Rayearth gently flew down to touch the earth lightly. His voice spoke in tones so deep and powerful, it seemed as though the whole castle shook.

"Legendary Magic Knight of Fire, thou hast now found thy ultimate destiny as the Pillar of Cephiro. Thou hast been chosen for this place of highest honor because of thy loving heart which cares for thy friends. Yet much sorrow hast thou born to rise to such great heights. And so I would give thee a gift, a vestige of my strength to be with thee as long as thy heart remains true."

Everyone gasped. Hikaru had not yet emerged from her Mashin, but Umi and Fuu could see her face. Instead of confusion, her eyes were silent, accepting.

"Thou shewed incredible strength and wondrous courage in all thy ventures here, but thou art only human. As such, thy heart has been tortured by memories that would haunt thee the rest of thy life. Thou art only so strong; I would not have it that thou wouldst lose thyself to unreal imaginings when so many real dangers thou didst already defeat. And so I grant thee this: that upon thy return to thy own world, thou shouldst forget all things that transpired upon this one. Thy great friendship with the Magic Knights of Wind and Water would remain, but all else would be lost to memory. This is my gift to thee."

The beam began to extend from Rayearth, depositing the Magic Knight on the ground. But then Hikaru's voice rang out above the silence.

"Wait!"

The beam disappeared. "Legendary Magic Knight, hast thou a question? Does my gift not please thee?"

"No, it doesn't." Hikaru stated, her voice ringing out still. Everyone gasped as they heard this, but Hikaru was not finished.

"I am truly sorry, but I cannot accept that I should simply forget everything. My heart is heavy, but that sorrow will pass. I promised that this time I would fight with no regrets, and I have. Maybe bad things have happened, and I have been hurt. But good things have happened too, and there are some things, even among the bad, that I want to remember."

There was silence for a moment, and then Rayearth's booming voice spoke again.

"Very well."

Everyone relaxed slightly, but then Rayearth continued.

"If thou truly do not wish to forget, is there something, perhaps, that thou wouldst prefer? Maybe thou wouldst like to fly?"

Hikaru laughed at the tone in Rayearth's voice, surprised that her Mashin had a sense of humor. Then, still giggling, she shrugged her shoulders.

"Alright."

Rayearth let out a rumble that shook the castle. Hikaru decided it was his form of laughter.

"Very well, then. I wouldst now confer upon thee-"

"Wait!" Hikaru interrupted, her eyes having just spotted a flash of black and silver among the people. "I do not wish to fly. But maybe instead…" and she trailed off, speaking to the Mashin within her head. A moment's conference, then Rayearth spoke.

"So be it."

And a small golden bubble came out of the jewel on his chest, the Magic Knight of Fire contained within. The Mashin stood for a moment ,waiting 'til the bubble had neared the ground. Then it gave a great heave of its fiery wings, soaring above the heights of the towers, high above the land.

Then it slowly spread its hands, as though reaching to embrace the earth, and wings of fire extended to their fullest extent.

"I give to thee new life, people of Cephiro. May your land ever blossom in greatest beauty, as those who are of strong will shall care for it with utmost love."

And then a sparkling shower of gold came flying from his fingers, the sparkles being caught on the wind and carried to the farthest reaches of the world.

And as they watched, the land suddenly began to stretch out, the great craters refilling with good earth, the rifts in the land healing even as they stared. And then, wonder of wonders, green began to spring up, first a little here and there, and then more and more like a wave breaking and spreading across the earth, covering the world in new glory. Trees, flowers, and beautiful, rolling plains grew in an instant across the land, interrupted here and there by splashes of blue. The floating mountains reappeared, the sea refilling itself, the world coming back from the brink of destruction more wonderful and beautiful than before.

In a few minutes, it was done, and Rayearth floated down to the awe-struck crowd.

"Now I take my leave of thee, Hikaru." Again, his deep voice boomed over them, and Hikaru looked up at him with joy shining out of her eyes. "Remember, shouldst thou ever have need of me, call my name, and should the hellfires block my way, I'll come to thee."

Hikaru nodded solemnly, too happy for words, and watching as Rayearth dissolved away into nothing. She stared at the spot that her Mashin had but recently been in, and thought something of cabbages and kings; and then her eyes changed, and she straightened her shoulders, turning around to face the people she had saved.

Utter silence covered the crowd as they stared at her. Most of them had seen Hikaru as the laughing girl, the friendly spirit, the loving heart. Now they saw her as the Legendary Knight of Fire, who was destined to be the protector of their land. It awed them.

But then one girl broke out in cheers, and that was enough, for suddenly the whole crowd was yelling and stamping and laughing. From their midst, Ferio dashed out, running to Fuu and grabbing her up, spinning her around and laughing, the grin on his face nearly twice that of his cheek span. Then he set her on her feet, and kissed her soundly on the lips, reaffirming her well-being and his love. Those watching cheered and laughed at them, and Fuu's face was a bright red when the Prince finally pulled back.

Then another blur burst from the crowd, and suddenly Umi found herself engulfed in two strong arms, which had suddenly wrapped themselves around her waist.

And then she found herself staring into two very chocolatey brown eyes, belonging to a very handsome young man.

And then she found herself kissing the handsome young man.

And that's when her world suddenly crashed into place, and her life began to look up.

When Ascot suddenly jerked away, much farther up.

"Ascot…" she said, blushing as she suddenly realized what had happened.

"Umi, I--….Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…I mean, I didn't want to say it like this…I mean…" Ascot stuttered off into silence, words failing him as he stared at his feet, blushing profusely.

"Say what, Ascot?" Umi asked gently, her own revelation too perfect and recent to come first.

"Umi, I…I…" Ascot started, then stopped and took a breath, fighting down his blush. It's now or never, he reminded himself forcefully. He knelt before her, taking her hands into his.

"Umi, I love you."

Umi stared at him, silent. He ducked his head, realizing with a rapidly sinking heart what that silence meant. She didn't love him. She never had. She loved Clef. Oh yes, he'd seen the way she sneak glances at the Master Mage when she thought no one was looking. He'd seen how she would try to sit next to him, or think up excuses to talk to him-

"Well, that's good, because I love you too."

Or the way that she kept trying to-…what did she say?

"What did you say?"

Umi smiled at him. "I said, 'that's good, because I love you too.'."

Ascot stared up at her, his mouth falling open. Umi laughed and gently pulled him to his feet, keeping a hold of his hand. Still, he simply stared at her, his mouth working furiously, making him look for all the world like a beached fish. Umi smiled at him.

Suddenly, Caldina's voice carried over the ruckus.

"Oh, c'mon, Ascot. Don't be a dolt. Hurry up and kiss her!"

He did.

"Oooooooh!" The people began to cheer, whistling and stamping their feet as Ascot followed Caldina's advice to the best of his ability.

Umi's face was blushing furiously by the time Ascot had pulled away. She had been kissed before, but never like that. She looked around at the people gathered, and saw Ferio standing nearby with his arm around Fuu, giving Ascot a thumbs-up. Fuu smiled at Umi's blush.

"Do not worry, Umi-san. You grow accustomed to it."

Umi's blush deepened, and Ascot turned her back towards him.

"Umi, I know that we are both still a little young, but I was wondering…if maybe…when we're older…"

Umi grinned. "Don't be stupid. Of course I will."

Ascot slid the ring on her finger as he scooped her up for another breath-stealing kiss.

From somewhere in the middle of the crowd, Hikaru smiled at the two couples, glad to see their happiness.

"Hikaru…"

She turned at the sound of her name, and suddenly six feet of black clothing stood in front of her.

"L-Lantis…" she stuttered, unsure of what to say. "I-…I didn't see you."

She blushed at the ridiculousness of the statement even as she said it. Lantis didn't seem to notice.

"I need to speak to you. In private."

Hikaru raised her eyebrows at this, but nodded. He turned without a word a walked into the castle. Hikaru, wondering, followed him.

He led her through several chambers, up a long stairway, and out a door into the morning light. He held the door open for her, and, curious, she stepped through.

She gasped. "Lantis…"

She was standing on one of the highest crystals of the palace, overlooking the whole world of Cephiro, the world now covered in a breathtaking green.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, unable to take her eyes off the landscape. Lantis nodded, but his eyes were on Hikaru. Suddenly, her shoulders fell a little, and she turned around with bloodshot eyes, the hurt of the last hours brought to the surface with the painfully beautiful land.

"Lantis…Eagle, he-…he-…" she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"I know. He died."

Hikaru looked up at him, her eyes overbright with unshed tears. "He died to save me! He sacrificed his life so that I could live. He said…he said he…loved me." She finished, looking away again.

Lantis did not respond. He had known of Eagle's love for longer than he would admit. He had also guessed at Eagle'e failing health and his chosen mode of death.

"Hikaru…" he said slowly, but she interrupted him.

"But I have to tell you something!" she cried, looking at him again. She blushed faintly at her outburst, and Lantis caught his breath at her beauty.

"I mean…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you…but I made a promise…"

Lantis nodded, waiting. Hikaru stared into his eyes, her own tearful but determined. Eagle is right, she thought, reassuring herself, I have to tell him.

"I promised Eagle that I would…That I'd tell you how I feel."

Lantis nodded again, something sparking deep within his heart.

"I know I killed your brother…"

He waited, his heart beginning to thump in his chest.

"I know you probably hate me…"

His throat began to close as he listened, unable to believe what she was saying.

"I'm sorry."

His heart was beating faster than light, the blood pulsing through his system.

"But I can't help it…"

And then everything froze, and she looked into his eyes.

"I love you, Lantis."

His heart skipped several beats, his eyes glued to her face, and for once he was rendered totally speechless.

"You…you mean it?" He spluttered, unable to think clearly.

Hikaru nodded, her head bowed and her posture defeated.

Lantis stared at her red hair, glowing in the rising sun. His brain was buzzing, running around in little bitty circles, repeating the same thing over and over again.

_She loves me she loves me she loves me I can't believe it how can she possibly she loves me she loves me she loves me…_

And then he froze, realizing that his dearest heart was crying. He could have kicked himself. _Stupid! She thinks you hate her! Quick! Do something! Make her stop crying!_

So he did the only conceivable thing at the moment.

He kissed her.

Her lips were soft and salty from her tears, but his brain had still not gotten over the three little words she had spoken, and he simply kissed her harder.

When he pulled away, Hikaru was staring at him with wide eyes.

"Lantis…what-"

He put a finger on her lips, silencing her.

"Before you ask, I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. You are the most precious thing in the world to me and-" he pulled her to him, " I love you."

He leaned in and kissed her thoroughly, but this time she kissed him back, which he decided was altogether the better arrangement.

"Wooohoo! Check out the cute little lovebirds!"

Caldina's comment was accompanied by many whispered 'hush!' s and some 'aww, that's so sweet 's'. Lantis pulled away from Hikaru, turning around. The whole crowd was gathered at the crack in the door, their faces looking through sheepishly.

"Everybody…" Hikaru said, blushing.

"Friends," Lantis called heartily, "I'd like to introduce you all to my dearest love!"

Everyone stumbled out onto the little balcony, cheering, laughter, and congratulations flying about as the first sunrise of the new Cephiro rose into the sky, casting its warmth on the well-deserved happiness below it.


	16. New Dawn

EPILOGUE

Hikaru tied the cloak neatly, then stepped back to admire her work.

"You look…very nice." she said, blushing and stumbling over her words.

Lantis smiled. "Ah, Hikaru…why do you have so much trouble saying that? I love saying that you're beautiful, amazing, incredible-"

"Ascot! Get back here!"

Ascot stopped in his tracks, halfway into the room Lantis and Hikaru were in, looking back as his beloved's voice called to him.

"Ascot, you promised you would."

Ascot squirmed. "But Umi…"

Umi grabbed him by his forearm, dragging him towards the mirror. "I know you don't like dressing up, but she's almost your mother! It's the least you can do. Sorry, you two. We'll only be a minute."

Umi smiled at Hikaru from over Ascot's shoulder, and Hikaru was forced to hide her face in Lantis' arms to muffle her laughter.

"She's right, you know." Ferio's voice drifted through the open door as he poked his head inside the dressing room. "Besides, your costume is no where near as awful as mine is. Hello, Lantis, Hikaru."

The two smiled and nodded at him, grinning at Ascot's antics as he squirmed under the heavy ornamental robes.

"Oh, Ferio, it's not that bad." Fuu stepped up beside the Prince. "Besides, you promised her as well. Good afternoon, Hikaru."

Hikaru smiled at her as Ascot ducked Umi's grasp again.

Ferio, being prodded by Fuu to keep moving, just scrunched up his nose.

"Come now, Ferio, we have little time left." Fuu admonished.

"Oh, alright. Maybe if I had a little persuasion…" he wriggled his eyebrows at her. Fuu blushed and shook her head, turning him around and pushing him out of the room. He grimaced at her, but she just smiled and shooed him off.

Umi smiled as her foster-sister and her fiancee left, then turned back to Ascot, straightening his robes.

"There now. That's not so bad, is it?"

Ascot made a face behind her back as she turned to pick up Hikaru's brush. Hikaru giggled at Ascot's expression, and he quickly reverted to angelic piety when Umi whirled on him accusingly.

"Alright, you, get moving. We still need to fix your hair and we've only a little time left to do it."

Ascot looked pleadingly back at Lantis, but he just smiled and waved as the Summoner was ushered out of the room.

Umi paused at the door. "By the way, Lantis…"

Lantis raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You have a beautiful smile. You should smile more often.' Umi's voice was appraising, her face grinning. Lantis blushed faintly and nodded, and Umi laughed at him before following her beloved to their rooms.

Hikaru was looking at him curiously, but when he started blushing, a smile lit her face.

"She's right, you know," she commented, smiling a little. Lantis looked down at her, his eyes growing soft and gentle. He gathered her into his arms.

"You like me smiling?"

Hikaru giggled, shook her head, then nodded and grinned up into his face, blushing as she saw the look in his eye.

"Yes…" she murmured, and then he had captured her in a deep kiss, and she grew shaky and weak-kneed in his embrace. When he finally pulled away, it was only long enough for her to say, panting,

"I like your kissing, better."

Lantis smiled again, and then a mischievous glint lit his eye.

"Then I shall kiss you seven times each and every day, until you are so tired of my kisses that you prefer my smile. Then we shall see…" he grinned.

Hikaru laughed, and he reveled in the sound for a moment. Then Hikaru grinned up at him, and before he could move, had captured his lips, kissing him for the first time.

A few minutes later, he broke away, gasping, his eyes dark, but Hikaru just smiled and leaped off the desk he had set her on to run to the wardrobe.

"We have to finish getting ready!" She chirped, and Lantis could do no more than follow her, grinning ear to ear.

It was late afternoon, and the sun was setting on the first new day of Cephiro. Caldina had announced, rather suddenly, that just in case the Magic Knights were called away on the first day that she would like to have her wedding now.

"Besides," she had added persuasively, "what better day for beginning a new life than on the day the whole world is made new?"

They had all laughed, of course, and agreed.

So it was that that evening, all the people who had fought in the battle for Cephiro gathered for one final time. As they stood together, laughing as Umi beaned Ascot over the head for trying to kiss her in public, Hikaru smiled and told them that they would be leaving with the setting sun. Everyone had objected, but no one could do anything about it. Even Mokona, who had stayed mostly out of sight of the loveducks, appeared and jumped into Hikaru's arms for the goodbye hug.

One person, however, stood away from the group. Her long brown hair was no longer tied back in its customary ponytail, and she was dressed in a red-gold gown, stunning on her and foreign after her usual clothing.

Hikaru quietly walked over to her.

"P…Sierra." She spoke quietly, a slight stutter in her voice as she said the unfamiliar name. Sierra turned from her contemplation of the sunset to look at the red-haired Knight. Her eyes were deep, sad.

When things had settled slightly, Hikaru had told the other Magic Knights and the rest of the important peoples of Cephiro who 'Presea' truly was. Umi and Fuu had cried with Hikaru, but they had realized deep down the same thing that Hikaru had.

"Hikaru…" Sierra spoke softly, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry."

Hikaru, still smiling, shook her head. "No, I am sorry. I shouldn't have mistrusted you. Even I knew, deep in my heart, that no matter how powerful Princess Emeraude was, she could not raise the dead."

Sierra bowed her head, mournful. "I was heart-broken when I found out that Presea had died. We were twins, you know." She looked at Hikaru as she spoke, but didn't really see her. "The day I found out was the day that I was evacuated to the palace. When I walked in the door, I remember seeing Clef's face…he looked as though he had just seen a ghost." She smiled faintly at the remembrance, but continued. "Even he hadn't known that Presea had a sister. We lived so far away from each other…I think the last time we talked was nearly a year before she died."

Her head bowed again, and Hikaru placed an understanding hand on her shoulder. After a moment, Sierra collected herself and continued.

"We were very close, so naturally I had studied smith-craft with her. I very nearly completed the training, but then things happened, and I decided to move away. Then, when Clef found out that you had returned, he thought it would be easier to simply call me Presea, since I was so near to her likeness anyway."

"And now I am supremely sorry I made that decision." Clef's voice came wafting over the breeze as he walked up to them. "I realize now how stupid I was. I hope you can both forgive me." He looked from one woman to the other. Both smiled widely and nodded.

"Of course I forgive you, Clef. You have always told me the truth before; I know you must have had some good reason for doing this now."

For some strange reason, Clef blushed faintly and glanced at Sierra. "Well, I really have to tell Lafarga something, so…."

He dashed off. Hikaru watched him go, thinking. Suddenly she turned to Sierra.

"Why did you decide to move away from Presea? It sounds as though you loved each other very much."

Sierra blushed too, glancing at where Clef was now standing. "Well…it just seemed easier."

Hikaru's eyes widened. "Are you-…was Presea in love with-…"

"In love with who, Hikaru?" Umi came up behind the Fire Knight, slinging an arm around her shoulder.

"I, too, am curious as to the subject of your conversation." Fuu stepped up beside Umi, looking faintly amused.

Sierra suddenly looked very nervous. "I-um, have to go!"

She dashed off in the opposite direction that Clef had gone. The three Magic Knights stared after her, two contemplatively, one in astonishment. Hikaru turned to the others.

"Umi, Fuu, I think Sierra is-"

"In love with Clef? Duh." Umi said cheerfully. "You would be the last to notice."

"I believe Umi has the right of it, Hikaru-san." Fuu agreed.

Hikaru didn't respond, just stared after the rapidly retreating forms of Clef and Sierra. Then her expression turned gleeful.

"They would be so cute together!" she squealed, clapping her hands. The other two blinked in astonishment, then laughed and shook their heads, dragging the smiling Hikaru along with them to their place in the wedding procession.

The wedding went over without a hitch, and as Lafarga leaned down to kiss Caldina as her husband, outlined in the fading light of the new day, there was a flash of brilliant light, and with overbright eyes, the Prince of Cephiro let out a sigh and sat down.

"Will they be back?" Ascot asked, his voice young and weary.

"I don't know," Ferio replied, tired. "I hope so."

"They will be back." Lantis assured them. "Their hearts are in Cephiro, now. All we have to do is live until that day."

He looked at the other two, and they stared back at him.

There was a moment of silence.

Then Ascot groaned and fell onto his seat. "I'll never make it."

The others exchanged understanding glances as the sun faded beneath the horizon as Cephiro, the land of the heart, began anew.

_**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**_

ONE YEAR LATER :

"Hikaru-san! Over here!"

Hikaru looked around, searching out the source of the voice.

"Hikaru! This way!"

Now Hikaru could see the two she had come looking for, her foster-sisters. Her best friends. The Magic Knights.

Hikaru jogged over to them, grabbing them both in a bear hug as she reached them. "I've been looking all over for you two!"

"Nice…to see you too…Hikaru!" Umi gasped, scarcely able to breathe. Immediately, Hikaru let go, laughing at Umi's melodramatic act of gasping for air. Fuu patted her blue-haired friend on the back, and, smiling, turned to Hikaru. Hikaru smiled back, and the three of them turned to the window, leaning against the railing to watch the sun set over Tokyo.

The three of them had returned, rather suddenly, to Earth the day of Caldina's wedding. The year that followed had been hard for all of them, in one way or another. Firstly, all of them were sent to different schools, so contact became scarce and far between. But they had all found some way to meet, once a month, to talk or play or simply sit together in silent companionship.

They had all aged during this year. Where their first trip to Cephiro had given them a great deal of wisdom, it was their second return to earth that allowed them the maturity they required to fulfill what was now their ultimate wish. Fuu's sister, Kuu, had married and moved away. Hikaru's kendo school had been shut down and locked up, though she still lived there with her brothers. Umi's parents had been killed in a plane crash of the coast of North America. Umi had been heart-broken, but she had decided it was for the better, since she no longer lived in this world anyway. This was their twelfth meeting since they had returned to earth. Once again, they stood at a certain window within the confines of the Tokyo Tower, together remembering what was and dreaming of what would come.

Fuu started the talking first.

"Umi-san, that is a lovely ring. Where did you get it?"

Umi blushed and hid her left hand behind her back. "Oh, it's just a gift."

Hikaru, behind them, raised her eyebrows. "Really? A gift from a certain, very handsome young Summoner, I'd wager."

Umi's blush deepened. "I know it's silly, but sometimes it makes me feel closer to him. Especially recently."

Umi and Hikaru nodded understandingly. They had all experienced the loneliness of separation from their loves for many months now. Time had only served to deepen the pain.

Umi turned suddenly to Fuu. "And what about you, Fuu? I don't think that ring came from this world."

Fuu held up her hand, contemplating the jeweled band about her ring-finger. "I have no qualms about telling you that Ferio has a wonderful eye for jewels."

Hikaru and Umi sweat-dropped, but Fuu turned to the red-haired Knight, curiosity and teasing in her eyes.

"But the ring I am most interested in is Hikaru-san's. I don't believe I've seen it before."

Hikaru's face turned as red as her hair, and she immediately hid her hand. "I-it's nothing. I-…I've had it for months…"

Umi waggled her eyebrows. "Probably twelve months, yes?"

Hikaru's blush deepened and she ducked her head. But then she looked up, her eyes soft. "It helps me. Sometimes it gets too quiet, and it helps me understand why."

The others fell quiet. Hikaru turned back to the window, staring out of it but not really seeing anything. Umi and Fuu exchanged glances over her head.

Hikaru had been more quiet recently. Six months into their return, she had gotten a call saying that her parents had been killed in a lethal car crash. When her brothers had found out, they had all tried to cheer her up, but Hikaru had turned mute for almost an entire month. Then, suddenly, she had come out of her room, thin and pale but smiling. She had never told her brothers what had happened, but in private at their next meeting, Hikaru had explained that Clef had sent a signal to their world, and with it had come two things: a note and a ring. The others had never seen the ring, but Hikaru had showed them the note, written in a nearly illegible scrawl.

_I love you._

Hikaru still had the note. This was the first time she had worn the ring in their sight. But thought about Hikaru's family prompted a question.

"Hikaru," Umi asked, "have you spoken to your brothers yet?"

Hikaru nodded. "Yes, and they have decided-"

"To join our baby sister in a great adventure to the unknown!"

Suddenly, a young man was behind Hikaru, wrapping his long arms about her shoulders.

"Satoru…" Hikaru moaned, wincing and smiling at the same time.

Two other men joined the first. They smiled and nodded at the girls. Hikaru looked at Umi, then Fuu.

"My friends…" she said, quiet and peaceful. "It's time to go home."

There was a flash, the third of it's kind ever to happen in Tokyo Tower, and Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Houoji disappeared for the last time from earth, heading for the land their hearts had lived in.

The land of Cephiro.

_**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**__**MWMWMWMW**_

POST - EPILOGUE: FIVE YEARS LATER

He was sitting in the chair, staring at wall in complete silence. He had been there, in that exact position, for almost eight hours. The only sign of tension was his hands, clasped before his face, the knuckles turning white.

Ferio, sitting in his own chair, looked tense. "Lantis, c'mon, you need some rest."

Ferio might have simply not spoken for all the reaction Lantis showed.

Lafarga, on the other side of the room, looked equally nervous.

"He has cause for worry," he told Ferio, "After all, no one knows if-"

"Shh!" Sierra said from where she sat against the wall. "Stop doomsaying. Everything will be fine. Clef is, after all, a master healer."

No one took heed of her. They were all situated in the same antechamber that had been their respite during that horrible time just after Nova's attack on Hikaru. The same people were in the room, with the exception of Umi, Fuu, and Caldina. Also, three new people occupied the seats. All dressed in clothing similar to Lantis', Hikaru's three brothers, Kakeru, Masaru, Satoru, were sitting in various places around the room, all in the same position: legs spread, elbows resting on their knees, with their hands clenched in front of their face. As the minutes ticked by, they moved in tandem to stare first at the clock, then glare at Lantis, then watch the door, then finally to contemplate the wall in perfect harmony of thought. Besides them, two women, obviously from Chizeta, stood in the room, one looking bored and irritated, the other happy and oblivious.

Suddenly, the doors to Clef's chambers burst open, and Caldina came running through. Lantis stood quickly, but she simply grabbed something off of a shelf and rushed back in, closing the doors behind her.

Lantis gritted his teeth, his knuckles white, but a warning glance from Hikaru's brothers sat him back down. On a normal day, he could have beaten any one of them single-handedly. However, all three were there.

Ferio, leaning against the wall now, put a hand to his heart. "Whew! All this strain's going to kill me!"

Lafarga, Lantis, and Sierra, and all of Hikaru's brothers turned to glare at him. He raised his hands in supplication, and they turned their baleful glances away from him. Tarta shifted away from her place on the wall, walking to the eldest of Hikaru's brothers, Kakeru.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine." She placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling serenely. He looked up at her, tension in his eyes though his face was placid. Her smile broadened. Kakeru nodded.

"Of course."

She patted his shoulder, but then put a hand to her stomach and winced.

"Oh!"

Instantly, he was on his feet, helping her to sit down.

"What is it? Are you alright?" he questioned worriedly. Tarta nodded, smiling once again and patting her over-sized stomach.

"I'm alright, dear. I think the baby is kicking." She looked down at her belly, smiling softly. He smiled down at her, as content as she was. Then she winced again, her face not clearing as quickly. He knelt beside her, his hand on her stomach.

"Are you sure you're alright? After all, it's only a month away and the doctor could be wrong-"

"I'm fine, dear. The doctor said at least a month. I have plenty of time." She smiled at him again. "But it's so sweet of you to worry."

"Of course, sweetheart." He leaned in to plant a soft kiss on her mouth.

"Oh, come on." From her place on the other wall, Tatra stood and made a face in disgust. "Can't ya'll cut it out with the 'eternal honeymoon' already?"

Tarta looked over at her sister and smiled, hiding her giggles behind a delicate left hand, on which a diamond ring glistened. "Your accent, sister."

Tatra growled and steamed at the ears, but then Hikaru's next oldest brother stood up, walking over to her and putting a hand of his own on her shoulder.

"My love…." Masaru warned.

Tatra turned pink and looked down, seeming embarrassed.

"I wish you wouldn't say that in public," she grumbled, but allowed herself to be steered to a chair, where she sat, her own fiance massaging her shoulders.

And then the doors to the hall burst open, and two flustered looking figures tumbled through.

"We came as soon as we heard!" panted Ascot.

"Where is she? Is she alright?" Umi's questions bordered on panic.

Sierra stood and walked over to them, hands out in a placating gesture. "She'll be fine. It's Lantis here I'm worried about. He hasn't slept or eaten in hours."

Umi glanced over at the unmoving form of the Magic Swordsman, then back at Sierra.

"As much as I may be concerned about my sister's husband, I did not drag my own husband away from our honeymoon just so I could soothe a few nerves!"

Sierra laughed at Umi's comment, taking the blue-haired girl by the arm and leading her over to a chair as Tatra stood from her own to join them. Ascot was still standing by the door, looking harried.

"Your first experience with womanly persuasion?" Ferio questioned, smiling. Ascot glanced at him, a wide-eyed and almost fearful look on his face.

"I didn't know they could be so stubborn!" he burst out, astonished. Ferio just laugh and offered him a chair.

Another hour passed slowly, Lantis staring at the clock, willing it to go faster. His foot began tapping with the seconds, going faster and faster as his knuckles whitened around each other.

Suddenly, a faint scream made it through the doors.

"THEY'RE KILLING HER!" He roared, leaping up from his seat and charging the doors, sword drawn. Instantly, Ferio, Ascot, and all three of Hikaru's brothers jumped him, wrestling him to the ground.

"Lantis! Calm down!" Sierra shouted, but her words were lost in the uproar.

"Let me GO!" He thundered, still advancing on the door with the three bodies still hanging on him.

Then the doors swung open, and a voice cried out,

"Winds of Admonishment!"

And Lantis was frozen in a swirling gale that touched only him. Fuu calmly lowered her hands and turned to shut the large double doors behind her. Then she turned back to the paralyzed Lantis, her face dangerous.

"I will let you free only if you promise not to move one inch towards these doors."

Lantis glared at her, death in his eyes, but nodded.

Fuu made a gesture with her right hand, and the vortex disappeared, lowering the Magic Swordsman slowly to the ground. When he landed, he growled furiously at Fuu, but made no advance towards the doors leading inward. Not that he could have, for now all three of Hikaru's brothers were standing in front of the doors, their own swords drawn and dangerous looks on their faces.

Fuu stared him down for a moment, then shook her head and turned away.

"Hello, Umi-san. I am sorry to call you from your honeymoon like that."

Umi smiled and shook her head. "No, it's alright. Though I think Ascot may be a little disappointed."

Ascot blushed and looked away, while Umi and Fuu giggled at him from behind their hands.

"What, no kiss for your own sweetheart?" Ferio stood from his chair and made his way over to Fuu, wrapping his arms about her middle.

"No, not with the children watching." Fuu responded calmly, pointing to the crib in one corner. In it, five children played, two of them obviously the result of Fuu and Ferio. Two others had dark skin and light colored hair, and they were currently teasing the third of their group, a solemn, pale skinned, blond haired boy of three.

Ferio laughed and went over to the crib, lifting the green haired boy out of it.

"What'dya think, little Ferio the Second, should Daddy get to smooch Mommy in front of you?"

The baby laughed and clapped his hands, but Fuu just smiled and lifted the boy out of his hands, putting him back in the crib.

"I don't think so, Prince Ferio. Either of you. Now go on, go play with Emeraude." She shooed the boy into the crib, but gave him a wink as she stood back up.

Ferio was behind her. "You know, I've told you over and over not to call me 'Prince'."

Fuu's hand went to her heart in mock surprise. "Did I say 'Prince'? Oh, dear."

Ferio smiled devilishly and moved in on her, his hands coming up to wrap around her lower back. He grinned at her dancing green eyes, and leaned down to cover her lips with his own.

"Oops! I forgot to tell you something, Umi-san."

And Fuu ducked out of his grasp, moving swiftly to Umi's side of the room. Ferio groaned theatrically and flopped back onto the sofa. But then he looked to where Umi was and bit back a bark of laughter.

Fuu was standing near the corner, blushing faintly as she looked into the shadows and saw Umi.

And Ascot.

And their desperate need for a chaperone.

Sierra laughed at all of them and sat back, and time moved on. It did not take long for them all to forget laughter as in nervous anticipation, they waited.

For once again, they were all gathered because of Hikaru. Once again, emotions began to get on edge and sharp words followed harmless comments.

Minute after minute crawled by, the clock ticking down slowly, heading for that time when it would all, finally, be over. People went in and out, pacing or talking with fake joviality to pass the time.

"Are you alright?" Fuu said quietly to Sierra after coming back in from a short break.

Sierra nodded tiredly. "I'll be fine. To tell you the truth…" she trailed off, looking embarrassed.

Fuu smiled. "I know. You can't decide who to be more worried about: Hikaru or your husband."

Sierra blushed and nodded. Fuu shook her head ruefully. "I am glad it is you and not I," she said contemplatively, "It's hard enough living with a Prince; it must be terrible having a Master Mage for a husband."

Sierra's blush just deepened and she fingered the band around her left ring-finger. "It's not so bad. And after all, I waited for so long…"

Fuu's smile softened as she glanced over at her own husband. "I know."

They sat in silence for a moment, contemplating their loves and lives, and then Fuu stood with a sigh. She smiled at Sierra, giving her an understanding wink, and went off to join Ferio.

A moment later Umi took the seat the Wind Knight had vacated. "How is he?" she asked, jerking her head at the silent Magic Swordsman.

Sierra shook her head. "Not good. He hasn't moved since you first got here. I don't think he's breathing."

They both turned to look at Lantis with worry in their eyes. Indeed, Lantis still occupied the same chair he had hours before. His hands were still clasped in a deathgrip, his eyes still staring into nothing. Umi sighed, feeling the great anxiety within her heart over her foster-sister's pain, and knowing that for Lantis, it must be much, much worse. And he wasn't the only one like that, either. All three of Hikaru's brothers could have easily passed for Lantis' twins, with their stoic starings into the depths of the wall.

And so they all waited in nervous anticipation, once again gathered in a way strongly reminiscent of one time six years ago. At one point, Caldina opened the door and beckoned Fuu within, taking away the last completely calm presence within the room.

And so it went, that when all spirits were about to break under the strain, a faint cry sounded from the room, echoing in the sudden stillness of the antechamber.

Lantis jerked upright, and sat frozen in his seat as the cry repeated itself again and again, the sound that he had both longed for and dreaded.

The sound of a baby's cry.

Moments later, the doors swung open, and Fuu stepped out, holding a small bundle of cloth in her hand.

"Congratulations, Lantis. It's a boy."

She handed him the bundle and for a moment, he just stood there, staring down into the young face of his child.

"I'm a father…" he whispered, looking up at Fuu as though for reassurance. She nodded.

Then a second cry shook the room, carrying through the double doors. Instantly Lantis shoved the baby back into Fuu's arms, rushing the door with sword drawn.

He burst into the room. "HIKARU! Are you alright!?!"

And then he froze, his sword stilled in mid-swing. Caldina was holding something small and red, wrapping a second cloth around it.

Lantis stared at the cloth in astonishment. Caldina looked up at him.

"Luck to ya, Lantis! It's twins!"

Lantis's sword clattered to the ground, his eyes blank and staring. Umi came into the room, followed by the rest of them, Fuu holding the baby.

Umi waved her hand in front of his face. "I think he's in shock."

"What about Hikaru?" Her youngest brother spoke for the first time. They all turned to the bed.

Hikaru was lying there, her face scarily pale, her eyes shut. Her chest rose and fell, but the movements were so slight as to almost be invisible.

"Hikaru!" Lantis cried, snapping out of his shock and running to the bedside. Hikaru's eyes flickered, then opened as Lantis knelt beside her, taking her hand.

"Lantis…?" she whispered, questioning.

Lantis gripped her hand more firmly. "I'm here, my heart."

Hikaru smiled. Then she looked around, searching for something.

"Where are my babies?" she asked, her eyes widening in panic. Swiftly, Fuu stepped forward and placed the baby boy in her hands.

Hikaru smiled softly down at the child, then looked up at Caldina, nodding. The Illusionist placed the other child, a baby girl, in Lantis's surprised hands. He, too, could do nothing but stare at his little daughter, amazed that such a wondrous thing could be his own.

"I'm a father…" he said again, looking down at Hikaru and her child.

She smiled. "Yes."

Lantis looked back down at his own bundle, still astonished.

"What-…what are their names?" he stuttered past the lump in his throat.

"This one, I think," Hikaru said, "will be Eagle."

Lantis nodded, and met her eyes, and they shared a silent moment remembering an incredible, white-haired man who had given his life and happiness so that they could have theirs. Then the baby Lantis was holding gave a bubbling giggle, and he looked down at it, smiling softly.

"And this one," he said, talking to the little bundle in his own arms, "I think should be Hikaru."

Hikaru shook her head. "No, the past has been remembered enough. We need to move on, and look to the future. How about…Arani?"

"Arani?" Lantis questioned.

Hikaru nodded. "Yes. In an ancient language, it means 'new dawn'."

" 'New dawn'." Lantis mused, turned the words over in his mouth. Then he grinned. "I like it."

Hikaru smiled back at him. His eyes softened and he leaned down to kiss her sweetly.

"Awwww…" Caldina said, "I love ya'll!"

And she jumped on them, smothering them in a breath taking hug. The others, laughing, came forward then, talking and chattering. But Umi pulled Ascot back little.

"Um, honey…"

"Yes, Umi?" Ascot replied.

"Well…" she leaned forward and whispered something in his ear.

"A BABY??" He cried, and then his eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed onto the floor.

Everyone laughed, and Fuu observed, "Well, at least that's not as bad as what Ferio did…"

And together as a huge, unrelated family, they began to trade stories of babies and their wayward fathers.

Under the noses of those she loved, Hikaru smiled around at them all, but suddenly she realized Lantis was staring at her.

"What?" she said, blushing under his scrutiny.

"I love you." he replied.

"And I love you," she answered, a little confused. Lantis smiled.

"Good."

And as the dawn of the sixth year of the New Cephiro cast it's light over the fields, he leaned down to capture her lips in a sweet kiss, heralding in a new era of peace for the world of Cephiro.

The world of the heart.

THE HAPPIEST, MOST WONDERFUL BEGINNING THAT THEY ALL DESERVED


End file.
